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I am writing a cross-platform C++ program for Windows and Unix. On the Window side, the code will compile and execute no problem. On the Unix side, it will compile however when I try to run it, I get a segmentation fault. My initial hunch is that there is a problem with pointers.
What are good methodologies to find and fix segmentation fault errors?
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It can be resolved by having a base condition to return from the recursive function. A pointer must point to valid memory before accessing it.
Use a #define or the sizeof operator at all places where the array length is used. Improper handling of NULL terminated strings. Forgetting to allocate space for the terminating NULL character. Forgetting to set the terminating NULL character.
In practice, segfaults are almost always due to trying to read or write a non-existent array element, not properly defining a pointer before using it, or (in C programs) accidentally using a variable's value as an address (see the scanf example below).
Compile your application with -g, then you'll have debug symbols in the binary file.
Use gdb to open the gdb console.
Use file and pass it your application's binary file in the console.
Use run and pass in any arguments your application needs to start.
Do something to cause a Segmentation Fault.
Type bt in the gdb console to get a stack trace of the Segmentation Fault.
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Sometimes the crash itself isn't the real cause of the problem-- perhaps the memory got smashed at an earlier point but it took a while for the corruption to show itself. Check out valgrind, which has lots of checks for pointer problems (including array bounds checking). It'll tell you where the problem starts, not just the line where the crash occurs.
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