[ACCEPTED]-How to free a pointer to a dynamic array in C?-dynamic-arrays
You need to understand that a pointer is 7 only a variable, which is stored on the 6 stack. It points to an area of memory, in 5 this case, allocated on the heap. Your code 4 correctly frees the memory on the heap. When 3 you return from your function, the pointer 2 variable, like any other variable (e.g. an 1 int), is freed.
void myFunction()
{
char *myPointer; // <- the function's stack frame is set up with space for...
int myOtherVariable; // <- ... these two variables
myPointer = malloc(123); // <- some memory is allocated on the heap and your pointer points to it
free(myPointer); // <- the memory on the heap is deallocated
} // <- the two local variables myPointer and myOtherVariable are freed as the function returns.
That will be fine and free the memory as 5 you expect.
I would consider writing the 4 function this way:
void reset(char** myPointer) {
if (myPointer) {
free(*myPointer);
*myPointer = NULL;
}
}
so that the pointer is 3 set to NULL after being freed. Reusing 2 previously freed pointers is a common source 1 of errors.
Yes it will work.
Though a copy of your pointer 3 variable will be sent, but it will still 2 refer to the correct memory location which 1 will indeed be released when calling free.
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