c++arrayspointersmemory-managementdynamic-allocation

Deleting dynamically allocated variables setting pointer to 0


I can't understand the end of this code (array = 0;):

#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    std::cout << "Enter a positive integer: ";
    int length;
    std::cin >> length;

    int *array = new int[length];

    std::cout << "I just allocated an array of integers of length " << length << '\n';

    array[0] = 5; // set element 0 to value 5

    delete[] array; // use array delete to deallocate array
    array = 0; // use nullptr instead of 0 in C++11

    return 0;
}

At the end, a dynamically allocated array is deleted (returned to OS) and then assigned a value of 0.

Why is this done? After array has been returned to the OS, there is no need to assign it a value of 0, right?

Code from: http://www.learncpp.com/cpp-tutorial/6-9a-dynamically-allocating-arrays/


Solution

  • After array has been returned to the OS, there is no need to assign it a value of 0, right?

    You're right it is not needed because the memory is freed (deallocated) by the operator delete. But think of a case where you may use the pointer in another place in your code (functions, loops, etc.) after you use delete[] on it.

    The array variable still holds the address of the old allocation after the delete[] statement was called (dangling pointer). If you would access that address you would get undefined bahaviour (UB) because the memory is no longer yours, in most of the cases your program would crash.

    To avoid that you do a null pointer check like:

    if (array != nullptr)
    {
       /* access array */
       ...
    }
    

    which is checking the pointer against the address 0 which represents an invalid address.

    To make that check possible you set the pointer to nullptr or NULL if C++11 is not available. The nullptr keyword introduces type safety because it acts like a pointer type and should be preferred over the C-like NULL. In pre C++11 NULL is defined as integer 0, since C++11 it's an alias to nullptr.
    To define your own nullptr to use it for pre C++11 compiler look here: How to define our own nullptr in c++98?


    An interesting fact about delete or delete[] is that it is safe to use it on a nullptr. It is written at point 2 on cppreference.com or at this SO answer.

    operator delete, operator delete[]

    2) [...] The behavior of the standard library implementation of this function is undefined unless ptr is a null pointer or is a pointer previously obtained from the standard library implementation of operator new[](size_t) or operator new[](size_t, std::nothrow_t).