CArrayList

Usage

New ArrayLists are constructed by calling ArrayList_make(). The parameter elem_size defines the the data width of the elements that will be contained in the ArrayList. If alloc is false, the arrayList, no memory will be allocated for the arrayList until an element is inserted. The contents of an array are stored on the heap, and must be freed by call to arrayList_free.

arrayList int_list = arrayList_make(sizeof(int), true);

arrayList ptr_list = arrayList_make(sizeof(void*), true);

arrayList empty_int_list = arrayList_make(sizeof(int), false);

New elements are inserted using arrayList_append. Note that elements are inserted by value, not by reference:

int a = 3;

arrayList_append(&int_list, &a);

int *a_ptr = &a;

arrayList_append(&ptr_list, &a_ptr);

Elements may be retrieved either by value or by reference.

The arrayList_get_ptr function returns a pointer to the element at the given index but the returned pointer may be made invalid subsequent calls to arrayList_append. This function must be used with care.

The arrayList_get_cpy function copies the element at the given index to a provided memory buffer.

int *my_ptr = arrayList_get_ptr(int_list, 5);

int my_int;
arrayList_get_cpy(&int_list, 5, my_int);

(my_int == *my_ptr) //true

int new_int = 3;
arrayList_append(&int_list, &new_int);

int temp = *my_ptr; //may cause segfault

See the documentation in the source files for further usage instructions.

Iterators

Iterators are also provided.

An 'iterator' to an arrayList is simply a pointer. This pointer can be initialized by calling either aL_first or aL_idx and incremented using the aL_next function. The aL_done function returns a pointer to the the end of the arrayList.

Iterators should be used according to the following pattern:

int *iter;
for(iter = aL_first(&int_list); iter != aL_done(&int_list); iter = aL_next(&int_list, iter)){
    do_something(*iter);
}

Author

Jack Brown