call to malloc with size 0

[Neo]

Hi Folks,

I've a simple qestion related to dynamic memory allocation in C here is the
code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main()

{

char *p;

if( (p=(char*)mallo c(0)) == NULL)

printf("NULL\n" );

else

printf("Valid Pointer\n");

return 0;

}

Output : "Valid Pointer"

Why this code fragment returns a valid pointer to a memory block???

-Neo

[Peter Smithson]

In article <30************ *@uni-berlin.de>, ti************* **@yahoo.com
says...

Why this code fragment returns a valid pointer to a memory block???

-Neo

I've seen this before. Some versions of UNIX will return an error,
others will return a valid pointer. I'm not sure which is correct but I
found the 2nd situation to be more common and more useful as you don't
have to code round it - I've got a few +1's in some code just to
guarentee a valid pointer which happens to contain nothing. That way I
know the pointer has been initialised even it doesn't contain anything.
It's working like a flag as well as a place to store results.

--
http://www.beluga.freeserve.co.uk

[Ravi Uday]

"Neo" <ti************ ***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:30******** *****@uni-berlin.de...

Hi Folks,

I've a simple qestion related to dynamic memory allocation in C here is the code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main()

{

char *p;

if( (p=(char*)mallo c(0)) == NULL)

printf("NULL\n" );

else

printf("Valid Pointer\n");

return 0;

}

Output : "Valid Pointer"

Why this code fragment returns a valid pointer to a memory block???

-Neo

See what the standard says

4.10.3 Memory management functions:

If the size of the space requested is zero, the behavior is
*implementation-defined*; the value returned shall be either a null
pointer or a unique pointer.

So check in your impelementation documents for answer !

- Ravi

[Lawrence Kirby]

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 15:49:10 +0530, Ravi Uday wrote:

"Neo" <ti************ ***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:30******** *****@uni-berlin.de...

Hi Folks,

I've a simple qestion related to dynamic memory allocation in C here is

the

code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main()

{

char *p;

if( (p=(char*)mallo c(0)) == NULL)
Get rid of the cast. The compiler should then complain, which is
good because the code is broken. Adding the cast doesn't fix the
code, it just stops the compiler complaining about the problem.

The problem is that you don't have a valid declaration for malloc()
in scope when you call it. In that case the compiler assumes
that malloc() returns int, but it doesn't, it returns void *. All
standard library functions are provided with a declaration in
the appropriate standard header. For malloc() that is <stdlib.h>.

printf("NULL\n" );

else

printf("Valid Pointer\n");

return 0;

}

Output : "Valid Pointer"

Why this code fragment returns a valid pointer to a memory block???
Your code invokes undefined behaviour due to the invalid cast, so anything
can happen. Once that's fixed the issue is as below i.e. the compiler does
it because the standard says it can.

-Neo

See what the standard says

4.10.3 Memory management functions:

If the size of the space requested is zero, the behavior is
*implementation-defined*; the value returned shall be either a null
pointer or a unique pointer.

So check in your impelementation documents for answer !

Lawrence

[Method Man]

"Ravi Uday" <ra******@gmail .com> wrote in message
news:1100686594 .274808@sj-nntpcache-5...

"Neo" <ti************ ***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:30******** *****@uni-berlin.de...

Hi Folks,

I've a simple qestion related to dynamic memory allocation in C here is

the

code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main()

{

char *p;

if( (p=(char*)mallo c(0)) == NULL)

printf("NULL\n" );

else

printf("Valid Pointer\n");

return 0;

}

Output : "Valid Pointer"

Why this code fragment returns a valid pointer to a memory block???

-Neo

See what the standard says

4.10.3 Memory management functions:

If the size of the space requested is zero, the behavior is
*implementation-defined*; the value returned shall be either a null
pointer or a unique pointer.

So check in your impelementation documents for answer !

- Ravi

<OT>

Why didn't they put it in the standard that a null pointer must be returned?
It seems like the right/logical behaviour for calling malloc on size 0 and
avoids any confusion.

</OT>

[Richard Bos]

Peter Smithson <pg************ **********@yaho o.co.uk> wrote:

In article <30************ *@uni-berlin.de>, ti************* **@yahoo.com
says...

Why this code fragment returns a valid pointer to a memory block???
I've seen this before. Some versions of UNIX will return an error,

By which, I hope, you mean a null pointer, since causing a segfault or a
signal for malloc(0) is not conforming.
others will return a valid pointer. I'm not sure which is correct

Either.

Richard

[Lawrence Kirby]

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 07:45:50 -0500, Method Man wrote:
....

<OT>

Why didn't they put it in the standard that a null pointer must be returned?
It seems like the right/logical behaviour for calling malloc on size 0 and
avoids any confusion.

</OT>

Probably because there were existing implementations for both types of
result. I don't think it makes much practical difference, I can only think
of 2 uses for this:

1. Creating a unique pointer value which compares unequal to all others.
For this to work you would need to prefer the non-null return behaviour.
Of course you can use malloc(1) for this. However malloc() can always fail
so it could return null for any call.

2. You are setting up an object whick you might extend later using
realloc(). However whether malloc(0) return null or not is immaterial to
this, either result can be passed to realloc(). So the latitude given by
the standard is harmless here. Of course you have the issue of freeing the
"object" for a non-null return.

Lawrence

[Richard Bos]

Lawrence Kirby <lk****@netacti ve.co.uk> wrote:

2. You are setting up an object whick you might extend later using
realloc(). However whether malloc(0) return null or not is immaterial to
this, either result can be passed to realloc(). So the latitude given by
the standard is harmless here. Of course you have the issue of freeing the
"object" for a non-null return.

Even that is not a problem, since free(0) is harmless. No matter what
you get from malloc(), you can free() it.

Richard

[Lawrence Kirby]

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 13:53:09 +0000, Richard Bos wrote:

Lawrence Kirby <lk****@netacti ve.co.uk> wrote:

2. You are setting up an object whick you might extend later using
realloc(). However whether malloc(0) return null or not is immaterial to
this, either result can be passed to realloc(). So the latitude given by
the standard is harmless here. Of course you have the issue of freeing the
"object" for a non-null return.

Even that is not a problem, since free(0) is harmless. No matter what
you get from malloc(), you can free() it.

True, my intent was more along the lines of you have consider calling free()
appropriately for a non-null return, whereas if the return was always
null in this case you wouldn't have to worry.

However given the possibility extending the object to non-zero length
there's likely to be code to handle freeing anyway, so it probably turns
out to be a non-issue.

Lawrence

[Neo]

"Ravi Uday" <ra******@gmail .com> wrote in message
news:1100686594 .274808@sj-nntpcache-5...

"Neo" <ti************ ***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:30******** *****@uni-berlin.de...

Hi Folks,

I've a simple qestion related to dynamic memory allocation in C here is

the

code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main()

{

char *p;

if( (p=(char*)mallo c(0)) == NULL)

printf("NULL\n" );

else

printf("Valid Pointer\n");

return 0;

}

Output : "Valid Pointer"

Why this code fragment returns a valid pointer to a memory block???

-Neo

See what the standard says

4.10.3 Memory management functions:

If the size of the space requested is zero, the behavior is
*implementation-defined*; the value returned shall be either a null
pointer or a unique pointer.

So check in your impelementation documents for answer !

- Ravi

O'kay thanks for pointing it out.
But what should be the suggested behavior and why?
Is a valid pointer right way?
I think NULL is a better option? isn't it???

-Neo