What if I delete an array once in C++, but allocate it multiple times?

Question

Suppose I have the following snippet.

int main()
{
    int num;
    int* cost;
    while(cin >> num)
    {
        int sum = 0;
        if (num == 0)
          break;

        // Dynamically allocate the array and set to all zeros
        cost = new int [num];
        memset(cost, 0, num);
        for (int i = 0; i < num; i++)
        {
            cin >> cost[i];
            sum += cost[i];
        }
        cout << sum/num;
    }
`  `delete[] cost;
    return 0;
}

Although I can move the delete statement inside the while loop for my code, for understanding purposes, I want to know what happens with the code as it's written. Does C++ allocate different memory spaces each time I use operator new?

Does operator delete only delete the last allocated cost array?

Answer 1

Does C++ allocate different memory spaces each time I use operator new?

Yes.

Does operator delete only delete the last allocated cost array?

Yes.

You've lost the only pointers to the others, so they are irrevocably leaked. To avoid this problem, don't juggle pointers, but use RAII to manage dynamic resources automatically. std::vector would be perfect here (if you actually needed an array at all; your example could just keep reading and re-using a single int).

Answer 2

I strongly advise you not to use "C idioms" in a C++ program. Let the std library work for you: that's why it's there. If you want "an array (vector) of n integers," then that's what std::vector is all about, and it "comes with batteries included." You don't have to monkey-around with things such as "setting a maximum size" or "setting it to zero." You simply work with "this thing," whose inner workings you do not [have to ...] care about, knowing that it has already been thoroughly designed and tested.

Furthermore, when you do this, you're working within C++'s existing framework for memory-management. In particular, you're not doing anything "out-of-band" within your own application "that the standard library doesn't know about, and which might (!!) it up."

C++ gives you a very comprehensive library of fast, efficient, robust, well-tested functionality. Leverage it.