Deleting a structure

[Peter7]

So i have this structure:

struct contrib {int num; string name; string adress;};
typedef contrib *cont;

and i was wondering how do i free all the memory that one object of this type ocupies. Does this work:

void erasecont (cont ct){
    delete[] ct;
}

does it only delete the pointer or it also deletes the int and the strings?

thank you

[Lynx876]

If I'm right in saying this, you haven't used the new keyword. So there's nothing to delete.

If you create and 'object' of this struct within a function, then the memory will be freed when it goes out of scope. i.e. the function it was created in ends.

[Peter7]

Right, i have this function to create a cont:

cont createcont ()
{cont rcont = new contrib;
string n;

cout << "Name: ";
getline (cin,rcont->name);
cout << "\nNumber: ";
getline (cin, n);
stringstream(n) >> rcont->num;
cout << "\nAdress: ";
getline (cin,rcont->adress);
return rcont;}

so the new is used. and i want the function erasecont to delete everything that was created by this function (i hope i am explaining myself well, i just want to free memory).

[Lynx876]

Again, I'm not to sure. But the following compiles and runs for me.
Sorry, I usually deal with deleting 'new' within the same functions!

int *testFunc()
{
	int *me = new int;

	*me = 5;

	return me;
}

void eraseMe( int *value )
{
	delete value;
}

int main()
{
	int *meCopy = testFunc();    

	eraseMe( meCopy );     

	return 0;
}

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will see this thread, lol.
I'd also like to know if this is actually deleting the memory taken by 'new' in the above function.

[nedo]

delete[] is usually used for deleating arrays. For single objects only use delete.
You create your item as cont rcont = new contrib
if you would create it using cont rcont = new contrib[x]; then you would use delete[];

For example:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

struct contrib {int num; string name; string adress;};


int main()
{
  contrib *pCon = new contrib[5];
  contrib *pCon2 = new contrib; 
  delete[] pCon;
  delete pCon2;

  return 0;
}

[Peter7]

so that would delete the pointer *pCon2 and get rid of it's num, name and adress?

[nedo]

Yes, they are considered as just one single object by the compiler.

[Peter7]

Thank you for the help!