Problem 19 What happens when a program uses... [FREE SOLUTION]

Chapter 10: Problem 19

What happens when a program uses the new operator to allocate a block of memory, but the amount of requested memory isn't available? How do programs written with older compilers handle this?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: When there is not enough memory available for allocation using the "new" operator, it throws a `bad_alloc` exception. To avoid program crashes, this exception should be handled using a try-catch block. In the case of older compilers, such as those using C, the `malloc()` function is used instead of the "new" operator. `malloc()` returns a NULL pointer when memory allocation fails. Handling memory allocation failure in older compilers involves checking the return value of `malloc()` and acting accordingly.

Step by step solution

When a program uses the "new" operator, it requests a block of memory of a specific size from the system's memory manager. If the allocation is successful, the memory manager returns a pointer to the memory location. #Step 2: Effect of unavailable memory while using the new operator#

If the requested memory is not available, the memory manager fails to allocate the block of memory. In C++, the new operator throws a `bad_alloc` exception in this circumstance. This is an exception of the `std::bad_alloc` type, which is part of the C++ Standard Library. #Step 3: Handling bad_alloc exception#

In order to avoid program crashes, this exception should be handled using a try-catch block. Here's an example: ```cpp #include #include int main() { try { int* myArray = new int[100000000]; // Request a large memory block } catch (std::bad_alloc& e) { true std::cerr

In the case of older compilers, such as those using C instead of C++, the new operator is not used. Instead, programs use the `malloc()` function to allocate memory. `malloc()` returns a NULL pointer when memory allocation fails. Checking the return value of `malloc()` is essential to handle memory allocation failure. Here's an example: ```c #include #include int main() { int* myArray = (int*) malloc(sizeof(int) * 100000000); // Request a large memory block if (myArray == NULL) { fprintf(stderr, "Unable to allocate memory.\n"); return 1; // Return an error code } // ... free(myArray); // Always free the memory when it's no longer needed return 0; // Normal exit } ``` By following these steps, students can understand the failure of memory allocation using the "new" operator when memory is insufficient and learn how older compilers handle these situations differently.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91影视!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

91影视

What happens when a program uses the new operator to allocate a block of memory, but the amount of requested memory isn't available? How do programs written with older compilers handle this?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

When a program uses the "new" operator, it requests a block of memory of a specific size from the system's memory manager. If the allocation is successful, the memory manager returns a pointer to the memory location. #Step 2: Effect of unavailable memory while using the new operator#

In order to avoid program crashes, this exception should be handled using a try-catch block. Here's an example: ```cpp #include #include int main() { try { int* myArray = new int[100000000]; // Request a large memory block } catch (std::bad_alloc& e) { true std::cerr

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

Data Representation in Computer Science

Game Design in Computer Science

Functional Programming

Big Data

Cloud Services

Blockchain Technology

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.