Re: Safe And Efficient Programming With C++

From:

Carl Barron <cbarron413@adelphia.net>

Newsgroups:

comp.lang.c++.moderated

Date:

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:35:44 CST

Message-ID:

<220120082208309995%cbarron413@adelphia.net>

In article <13pc054gcb88d69@corp.supernews.com>, Jeffrey Baker
<tbirdjb2@earthlink.net> wrote:

<frankgerlach@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1195030089.606935.66940@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...

I have identified the following important programming errors:

1. buffer overruns

use std::vector<T> or if appopriate std::basic_string<charT>

2. dangling pointers

          smart ptrs don't dangle they properly destruct and delete
,unless there is convoluted code to such as
       {
          std::auto_ptr<double> p(new double);
          p.release();
       }

3. accidental double-use of an object (maybe caused by objectpools)

     ?? Not sure but if you mean
          Foo *p = get_foo();
          Foo *q = p;
          q->something = 10;
          then p->something == 10.
          smart copying ptrs are possible and these can still be used
polymorphically.
          if you mean your allocator of memory is returning the same
memory twice when its not in the free pool, that's an allocation problem
that needs fixing immediately:)

4. memory leaks

       smart ptrs don't leak without convoluted code such as
       void foo()
       {
          std::auto_ptr<double> p(new double);
          double *q = p.release();
       }

5. multithreading issues

find mutli threaded smart ptrs and these issues probably
dissappear.

I am hobbyist and I am not in the enviroment of work stress and
deadlines. I
know pointers are the biggest flaw in C++ and any language. This is where
most of the issues are. I came to know that any class in C++ that creates a
pointer (programmer) should follow the pattern of a destructor that deletes
the pointer of the class. This prevents a portion of 1-5 above. I would
like
to know where the exceptions to using the class destructor to delete
pointers are..

Best regards,
d
Jeff

    The above are good idioms to add to one's arsenal, concentrate on the
problem to be solved, not the mudane problem of memory management,
automate it. [smart ptrs and possibly garbage collection are available,
use them]

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