Checking if iterator points to a specific element

[Martin Magnusson]

Hi

I'm traversing a std::list backwards with a reverse_iterator, and need
to check for the case when the iterator points to the first element of
the list.

My code now looks something like the code posted below. This usually
works a few times, but then gives me a segmentation fault, apparently at
the line "if (pos == --(the_list.rend()))". Shouldn't that always be
valid, as long as there is always at least one element in the list at
the beginning of the loop? Is there a better way to check if the
iterator points to the first list element?

list<MyClass*>::reverse_iterator i;
for (pos = the_list.rbgin(); pos != the_list.rend(); /**/ )
{
if (pos == --(the_list.rend())) /* Is this not always valid? */
{
// Do something with *pos
the_list.clear();
pos = the_list.rend();
}
else
{
// Do something else with *pos
++pos;
the_list.erase( pos.base(), the_list.end() );
pos = the_list.rbegin();
}
}

[Victor Bazarov]

"Martin Magnusson" <lo*******@frustratedhousewives.zzn.com> wrote...

I'm traversing a std::list backwards with a reverse_iterator, and need
to check for the case when the iterator points to the first element of
the list.

My code now looks something like the code posted below. This usually
works a few times, but then gives me a segmentation fault, apparently at
the line "if (pos == --(the_list.rend()))". Shouldn't that always be
valid, as long as there is always at least one element in the list at
the beginning of the loop?
'rend' returns a temporary. -- expects a modifiable lvalue. Could that
be the source of the problem?
Is there a better way to check if the
iterator points to the first list element?
'front' returns a reference to the first element, or you could do

list<MyClass*>::reverse_iterator one_before_rend = the_list.rend();
--one_before_rend;

and compare with 'one_before_rend' instead of that expression.

list<MyClass*>::reverse_iterator i;
for (pos = the_list.rbgin(); pos != the_list.rend(); /**/ )
{
if (pos == --(the_list.rend())) /* Is this not always valid? */
{
// Do something with *pos
the_list.clear();
pos = the_list.rend();
}
else
{
// Do something else with *pos
++pos;
the_list.erase( pos.base(), the_list.end() );
pos = the_list.rbegin();
}
}

[Martin Magnusson]

Victor Bazarov wrote:

Is there a better way to check if the
iterator points to the first list element?

'front' returns a reference to the first element, or you could do

list<MyClass*>::reverse_iterator one_before_rend = the_list.rend();
--one_before_rend;

and compare with 'one_before_rend' instead of that expression.

Thanks! Comparing *pos with the_list.front() did the trick! Using the
soltion with one_before_end still gave me sporadic segmentaition faults
though.