extern with arrays of structure

[sss555]

Hi,

I tried to share some data between 2 .cc files hence declared the arrays of structure as extern in one of the .cc files.

However I get abnormal entries in the original array entries otherwise I wouldn't have got.

file1.h
---------
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
}


file1.cc
----------
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];


file2.cc
-----------
#include <file1.h>

extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];


The purpose here is to call these array data into the file2.Here,myList_[i].id and myList_[i].value are just unexpected once declared as 'extern'.If not used this extern method the expected values are observed once only file2 is being used.

Could you kindly specify the behaviour of this.Many thanks for your advise on how to tackle such a problem.

[horace1]

did your code compile?
there is a ; missing in

struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};  // missing ;

and when including a file in the current directory it should be in ""
e.g. file2.cc

#include "file1.h"
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 

you could put the extren declaration in the header file

[sss555]

did your code compile?
there is a ; missing in

struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};  // missing ;

It compiled without any problem.


and when including a file in the current directory it should be in ""
e.g. file2.cc

#include "file1.h"
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 

you could put the extren declaration in the header file

well it is not in the current directory, so i specified the path
#include <direct/file1.h>

Yes I tried putting extern declaration in the heade file too(file1.h).Still doesn't work.

Thanks for your attention.

[horace1]

well it is not in the current directory, so i specified the path
#include <direct/file1.h>

Yes I tried putting extern declaration in the heade file too(file1.h).Still doesn't work.

Thanks for your attention.

I guess you are on a unix system, try

#include "direct/file1.h"

assuming you have a directory direct in your current directory which contains the file1.h

[sss555]

I guess you are on a unix system, try

#include "direct/file1.h"

assuming you have a directory direct in your current directory which contains the file1.h

I'm working on Linux, and it works normally in #include<direct/file1.h> style.

Could you explain me how could I use, extern with arrays of structure?

Thank you

[horace1]

#include <filename>                              // include file from 'standard' place 
 

the file is assumed to be in a 'standard' directory in the file system which the C/C++ compiler automatically searches,.

#include "filename"       // include file from current directory else 'standard' place 
 

The second form of #include (filename enclosed in "") searches the current directory for filename and then, if it is not found, the 'standard' directory.

which you use it depends where your direct/file1.h file is - in the 'standard' place or relative to the current directory?

try the following

// file1.h
 
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};
 
#define MAX_NO 10
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup();   // function prototype - function in file2.cpp
 

// file2.cpp
 
#include "file1.h"
 
void setup()
{
for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
    myList_[i].id=i;
}
 

// file1.cpp
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    setup();
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
        cout << myList_[i].id << endl;
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
 

when i build this
g++ file1.cpp file2.cpp

and run it I get
./a
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

[sss555]

#include <filename>                              // include file from 'standard' place 
 

the file is assumed to be in a 'standard' directory in the file system which the C/C++ compiler automatically searches,.

#include "filename"       // include file from current directory else 'standard' place 
 

The second form of #include (filename enclosed in "") searches the current directory for filename and then, if it is not found, the 'standard' directory.

which you use it depends where your direct/file1.h file is - in the 'standard' place or relative to the current directory?

try the following

// file1.h
 
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};
 
#define MAX_NO 10
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup();   // function prototype - function in file2.cpp
 

// file2.cpp
 
#include "file1.h"
 
void setup()
{
for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
    myList_[i].id=i;
}
 

// file1.cpp
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    setup();
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
        cout << myList_[i].id << endl;
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
 

when i build this
g++ file1.cpp file2.cpp

and run it I get
./a
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

In fact I want to retrieve file1 data into file2.If I understand your code correctly it does the other way round.

I tried this way and when I compile I get the following error

file1.h:270: error: storage class specified for 'myList_'



Thank you for your suggestions.

[horace1]

try this which passes data from file1.cpp to file2.cpp

// file1.h
 
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};
 
#define MAX_NO 10
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup();   // function prototype - function in file1.cpp
void print();   // function prototype - function in file2.cpp
 
 

// file2.cpp
 
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
 
void print()
{
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
      cout << myList_[i].id << endl;
}
 
 

// file1.cpp
 
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup()
{
for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
    myList_[i].id=i;
}
 
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    setup();
    print();
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
 

[sss555]

try this which passes data from file1.cpp to file2.cpp

// file1.h
 
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};
 
#define MAX_NO 10
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup();   // function prototype - function in file1.cpp
void print();   // function prototype - function in file2.cpp
 
 

// file2.cpp
 
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
 
void print()
{
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
      cout << myList_[i].id << endl;
}
 
 

// file1.cpp
 
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup()
{
for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
    myList_[i].id=i;
}
 
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    setup();
    print();
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
 

I still get this error while trying to compile.

file1.h:270: error: storage class specified for ‘myList_’



Thank you

[horace1]

I still get this error while trying to compile.

file1.h:270: error: storage class specified for ‘myList_’



Thank you

I have run the code in my last post on Linux and Windows (using Cygwin). I compile with
g++ file1.cpp file2.cpp

then execute the file a.out or a.exe OK

[AdrianH]

Hi,

I tried to share some data between 2 .cc files hence declared the arrays of structure as extern in one of the .cc files.

However I get abnormal entries in the original array entries otherwise I wouldn't have got.

file1.h
---------
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
}


file1.cc
----------
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];


file2.cc
-----------
#include <file1.h>

extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];


The purpose here is to call these array data into the file2.Here,myList_[i].id and myList_[i].value are just unexpected once declared as 'extern'.If not used this extern method the expected values are observed once only file2 is being used.

Could you kindly specify the behaviour of this.Many thanks for your advise on how to tackle such a problem.

If you are getting unexpected values, perhaps your MAX_NO is not defined the same value in each file. I see no reference to it.


Adrian

[sss555]

I have run the code in my last post on Linux and Windows (using Cygwin). I compile with
g++ file1.cpp file2.cpp

then execute the file a.out or a.exe OK

I managed to compile it this time, but the ultimate result is the same as I got when I declared extern struct in both the .cc files (like in my first posting)

Thanks

[sss555]

I managed to compile it this time, but the ultimate result is the same as I got when I declared extern struct in both the .cc files (like in my first posting)

Thanks

What I observe is when declared as extern, it maintains a single instance hence overwrites the array, whereas otherwise it maintains multiple instances giving each value,id pair.
If I'm to elaborate a bit:
This i do to maintain a neighbor table that corresponds to each node, so when
you run file2.cc alone(without extern), each node has it's own neighbor table(with corresponding id,value pair of its neighbors)

when I call extern, it gives a list of entries which I can not figureout.The onlything I could see is starting from the same initial set of {id,val} it keeps on populating the same array until you reach the MAX_NO of neighbors.

So there's no correlation of nodes and their neighbor table.

[horace1]

by using extern you have one struct Mylistdetails array shared by both file1.cpp and file2.cpp. Is this what you want?
or do you want two seperate arrays, one in file1.cpp and the other in file2.cpp?
I don't understand what you are trying to do?

[sss555]

by using extern you have one struct Mylistdetails array shared by both file1.cpp and file2.cpp. Is this what you want?
or do you want two seperate arrays, one in file1.cpp and the other in file2.cpp?
I don't understand what you are trying to do?

Well, I want the file2.cc to be capable of accessing information maintained by arrays in file1.cc.

i.e file1 maintains {id,val} information for each node;and file2 tries to retrieve this information.

Thanks for your questions and suggestions.

[horace1]

Well, I want the file2.cc to be capable of accessing information maintained by arrays in file1.cc.

i.e file1 maintains {id,val} information for each node;and file2 tries to retrieve this information.

Thanks for your questions and suggestions.

in my last post function setup() in File1.cpp put data into myList[] and function print() in file2.cpp extracted and displayed it. Is you problem more complex than this, e.g. do you have other data structures to share?

[sss555]

in my last post function setup() in File1.cpp put data into myList[] and function print() in file2.cpp extracted and displayed it. Is you problem more complex than this, e.g. do you have other data structures to share?

I simply require the array instances in file1.cc to be reflected in file2.cc.
The problem I see is whenever I define extern in file1.h without even trying to retrieve from file2.cc, the values indicated in original arrays of struct go haywire.

[horace1]

I simply require the array instances in file1.cc to be reflected in file2.cc.
The problem I see is whenever I define extern in file1.h without even trying to retrieve from file2.cc, the values indicated in original arrays of struct go haywire.

in this version function setup() in File1.cpp puts data into myList[], function print() in file2.cpp extracts and displays it and changes it, when it is displayed in file1.cpp.

// file1.h
 
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};
 
#define MAX_NO 10
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup();   // function prototype - function in file1.cpp
void print();   // function prototype - function in file2.cpp
 
 

// file2.cpp
 
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
 
void print()
{
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
      {
      cout << "in file2 id = " <<  myList_[i].id << endl;
      myList_[i].value=i*100;
      }
}

// file1.cpp
 
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup()
{
for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
    myList_[i].id=i;
}
 
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    setup();
    print();
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
      {
      cout << "in file 1 id= " << myList_[i].id << 
              " value = " <<  myList_[i].value << endl;
      }
 
    system("PAUSE");
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

a run gives
in file2 id = 0
in file2 id = 1
in file2 id = 2
in file2 id = 3
in file2 id = 4
in file2 id = 5
in file2 id = 6
in file2 id = 7
in file2 id = 8
in file2 id = 9
in file 1 id= 0 value = 0
in file 1 id= 1 value = 100
in file 1 id= 2 value = 200
in file 1 id= 3 value = 300
in file 1 id= 4 value = 400
in file 1 id= 5 value = 500
in file 1 id= 6 value = 600
in file 1 id= 7 value = 700
in file 1 id= 8 value = 800
in file 1 id= 9 value = 900
Press any key to continue . . .

could you post the code which is giving you problems?

[sss555]

in this version function setup() in File1.cpp puts data into myList[], function print() in file2.cpp extracts and displays it and changes it, when it is displayed in file1.cpp.

// file1.h
 
struct Mylistdetails {
int id;
int value;
};
 
#define MAX_NO 10
 
extern struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup();   // function prototype - function in file1.cpp
void print();   // function prototype - function in file2.cpp
 
 

// file2.cpp
 
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
 
void print()
{
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
      {
      cout << "in file2 id = " <<  myList_[i].id << endl;
      myList_[i].value=i*100;
      }
}

// file1.cpp
 
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include "file1.h"
 
using namespace std;
 
struct Mylistdetails myList_[MAX_NO];
 
void setup()
{
for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
    myList_[i].id=i;
}
 
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    setup();
    print();
    for(int i=0;i<MAX_NO; i++)
      {
      cout << "in file 1 id= " << myList_[i].id << 
              " value = " <<  myList_[i].value << endl;
      }
 
    system("PAUSE");
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

a run gives
in file2 id = 0
in file2 id = 1
in file2 id = 2
in file2 id = 3
in file2 id = 4
in file2 id = 5
in file2 id = 6
in file2 id = 7
in file2 id = 8
in file2 id = 9
in file 1 id= 0 value = 0
in file 1 id= 1 value = 100
in file 1 id= 2 value = 200
in file 1 id= 3 value = 300
in file 1 id= 4 value = 400
in file 1 id= 5 value = 500
in file 1 id= 6 value = 600
in file 1 id= 7 value = 700
in file 1 id= 8 value = 800
in file 1 id= 9 value = 900
Press any key to continue . . .

could you post the code which is giving you problems?

when extern storage class is called, could the arrays of structure hold multiple instances..

Because this arrays of file1.cc hold neighbor information of nodes (time varying) and when extern is called that behavior is no more there.

Could send 'you' the files .Thanks for your suggestions