Function returns an address that is out of bounds

[asilter]

Hi,

I'm trying to assign variables where vpSec0 points.

void * vpSec0 = NULL;
CreateHVFESection0(vpSec0);
 

CreateHVFESecti on0 function is below.

void CreateHVFESection0(void * vpSec0)
{
        int hSec0;      
        size_t * nbytes = (size_t *) malloc(sizeof(size_t));
        hSec0 = bitio_o_open(); 
 
        /* 'B','U','F','R' */
        bitio_o_append(hSec0,66,8);
        bitio_o_append(hSec0,85,8);
        bitio_o_append(hSec0,70,8);
        bitio_o_append(hSec0,82,8);
 
        /* Total length of BUFR message in bytes */
        bitio_o_append(hSec0,0,24);
 
        /* BUFR Edition Number = 4 */
        bitio_o_append(hSec0,4,8);
        vpSec0 = bitio_o_close(hSec0, nbytes);
 
        free(nbytes);
        nbytes = NULL;
 
 
}
 

CreateHVFESecti on0 uses some other functions. But I think the problem is here:

vpSec0 = bitio_o_close(hSec0, nbytes);

because i run the program with gdb debugger. Before coming here, vpSec0 is 0x0, means NULL. Everything is normal to here.

void *bitio_o_close (handle, nbytes)
 
int handle;
size_t *nbytes;
 
/* This function closes a output-bitstream identified by HANDLE and returns
   a pointer to the memory-area holding the bit-stream.
 
   parameters:
   HANDLE:  Bit-stream-handle
   NBYTES:  number of bytes in the bitstream.
 
   The funcion returns a pointer to the memory-area holding the bit-stream or
   NULL if an invalid handle was specified. The memory area must be freed by
   the calling function.
*/
 
{
 
  if (!bios[handle].used) return NULL;
 
/******* Fill up the last byte with 0-bits */
 
  while (bios[handle].nbits % 8 != 0) bitio_o_append (handle, 0, 1);
 
  *nbytes = (size_t) ((bios[handle].nbits - 1) / 8 + 1);
  bios[handle].used = 0;
  return (void *) bios[handle].buf;
}
void *bitio_o_close (handle, nbytes)
 
int handle;
size_t *nbytes;
 
/* This function closes a output-bitstream identified by HANDLE and returns
   a pointer to the memory-area holding the bit-stream.
 
   parameters:
   HANDLE:  Bit-stream-handle
   NBYTES:  number of bytes in the bitstream.
 
   The funcion returns a pointer to the memory-area holding the bit-stream or
   NULL if an invalid handle was specified. The memory area must be freed by
   the calling function.
*/
 
{
 
  if (!bios[handle].used) return NULL;
 
/******* Fill up the last byte with 0-bits */
 
  while (bios[handle].nbits % 8 != 0) bitio_o_append (handle, 0, 1);
 
  *nbytes = (size_t) ((bios[handle].nbits - 1) / 8 + 1);
  bios[handle].used = 0;
  return (void *) bios[handle].buf;
}
 
 

when i step into bitio_o_close function, before

return (void *) bios[handle].buf

, the address of bios[handle].buf is 0x2a99700930. So we expect that after returning, vpSec0's address will also be 0x2a99700930. But after returning when i print vpSec0, it's address seems 0xffffffff99700 930, and this is out of bounds which falls me in Segmentation faults further in my program.

Please help.
Thanx.

[weaknessforcats]

Part of your problem is right here:

void CreateHVFESecti on0(void * vpSec0)
{
etc...

Inside this function vpSec0 is a copy of the vpSec0 used to make the call.

C has only call by value so function arguments are always copies of the variables used to call the funciton.

To change the address in the vpSec0 used on the call you need to pass the address of the pointer:

void CreateHVFESection0(void ** vpSec0)
{
etc...
 

Then inside CreateHVFESecti on0() you change the caller's pointer by:

*vpSec0 = bitio_o_close(hSec0, nbytes);