Re: Dynamic Memory Allocation

From:
"Alf P. Steinbach" <alfps@start.no>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:44:58 +0200
Message-ID:
<13v190higs4madc@corp.supernews.com>
* cplusplusquestion@gmail.com:

When I use "new" and "delete", how can I check "delete" deallocated
all memory I've created using "new" for a very complicated program?


Depends what you're really asking.

If you're really asking about how to /check/ that all you allocate is
deallocated, i.e. detecting memory leaks, then that is a tool usage question.
Some compilers provide special debug support[1]. There are also many tools that
work essentially as special purpose debuggers, such as ValGrind[2].

If you're asking about how to /ensure/ that all you allocate is deallocated, the
general answer in C++ is to use smart pointers and/or garbage collection. Take
a look at the Boost library's smart pointers, such as boost::shared_ptr[3]. Use
of garbage collection is still a bit on the experimental, requiring code
adaption, although as I understand it e.g. James Kanze (this example being my
only example! :-) ) uses the Boehm garbage collector to good effect.

Cheers, & hth.,

- Alf

Notes:
[1] <url: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x98tx3cf(VS.80).aspx>
[2] <url: http://valgrind.org/>
[3] <url: http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_35_0/libs/smart_ptr/smart_ptr.htm>

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