Returning a Block Of Resources

[zb0S216C]

I'm unsure about returning memory allocated by a local object within a function, such as malloc( ). I was thinking something along the lines of: If I allocate a block of resources with a local object within a function and return it, will that be safe?

To illustrate my point, consider this code:

int *NewBlock( const int Blocks )
{
    int *MemBlock( new( std::nothrow ) int[ Blocks ] );

    if( !MemBlock )
        return NULL;

    return MemBlock;
}

Since MemBlock is local to NewBlock( ), once NewBlock( ) finishes, MemBlock is popped from the stack. So, where does the memory go? who's the owner of this memory?

I hope you understand what I'm saying here :)

_Wazzak

[Athar]

So, where does the memory go?

It's not going anywhere. Memory allocated by new[] is not freed until you call delete[].

[Duthomhas]

... and presumably at the other end of the call to your function you save the address of that block of memory somewhere...

int *blocks = NewBlock( 12 );
...
delete [] blocks;

Hope this helps.

[zb0S216C]

@Duoas: So basically, I'm passing ownership of the memory allocated by MemBlock to the pointer that called NewBlock( ) (like your example)?

_Wazzak

[Duthomhas]

Exactly.

[zb0S216C]

Thanks, Duoas :)

_Wazzak