Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation?

From	Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation?
Date	2024-06-24 02:55 -0700
Organization	None to speak of
Message-ID	<875xtyu0kk.fsf@nosuchdomain.example.com> (permalink)
References	<v4ojs8$gvji$1@dont-email.me> <v4ov8h$j2q2$1@raubtier-asyl.eternal-september.org> <v52270$2nli8$1@dont-email.me> <v54jac$3a4p2$1@raubtier-asyl.eternal-september.org> <v5bbd3$rhao$2@dont-email.me>

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Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> writes:
> On Fri, 21 Jun 2024 21:12:12 +0200, Bonita Montero wrote:
>> Usually you don't resize the block with a few bytes ...
>
> The usual way I use realloc is to maintain separate counts of the number 
> of array elements I have allocated, and the number I am actually using. A 
> realloc call is only needed when the latter hits the former. Every time I 
> call realloc, I will extend by some minimum number of array elements (e.g. 
> 128), roughly comparable to the sort of array size I typically end up 
> with.
>
> And then when the structure is complete, I do a final realloc call to 
> shrink it down so the size is actually that used. Is it safe to assume 
> such a call will never fail? Hmm ...

It's not safe to assume that a shrinking realloc call will never fail.
It's possible that it will never fail in any existing implementation,
but the standard makes no such guarantee.

A (perhaps) plausible way it can fail is if allocations of different
sizes are allocated from different pools.  Trying to shrink a 1000-byte
object to 100 bytes might fail if the 100-byte pool has been exhausted.
On the other hand, realloc() could just return its argument in such a
case and continue treating the object as a 1000-byte allocation.
(The allocation functions don't have to keep track of how much memory
you asked for, only how much they actually allocated, which is >= what
you asked for.)

Arguably only a poor implementation would fail on a shrinking realloc(),
but the standard permits poor implementations.

Having said all that, if realloc fails (indicated by returning a null
pointer), you still have the original pointer to the object.

Something else that occurs to me: If a shrinking realloc() never fails
in practice, then any code you write to handle a failure won't be
tested.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */

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realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 08:08 +0200
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2024-06-16 23:34 -0700
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-17 10:18 +0100
    Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 10:31 +0100
      Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-17 10:55 +0100
        Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 13:45 +0100
          Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-17 15:33 +0100
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2024-06-17 18:10 +0300
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-18 00:09 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 11:19 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 11:46 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-29 00:14 +0000
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-07-02 10:18 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-07-02 16:39 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-07-03 23:48 +0000
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-24 09:32 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-24 19:19 +0200
                Indefinite pronouns [was:Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation?] Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2024-06-20 02:51 +0300
                Re: Indefinite pronouns vallor <vallor@cultnix.org> - 2024-06-20 00:34 +0000
                Re: Indefinite pronouns David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-21 12:59 +0200
                Re: Indefinite pronouns Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-21 10:31 -0700
                Re: Indefinite pronouns [was:Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation?] gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2024-06-20 12:10 +0000
                Re: Indefinite pronouns [was: Re: <something technical>] Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-20 15:04 +0200
                Re: Indefinite pronouns [was:Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation?] Cri-Cri <cri@cri.cri.invalid> - 2024-06-21 00:55 +0000
                Re: Indefinite pronouns [was:Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation?] Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2024-06-20 23:23 -0700
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Richard Harnden <richard.nospam@gmail.invalid> - 2024-06-17 16:15 +0100
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 13:05 -0700
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 16:36 +0100
          Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2024-06-17 18:02 +0300
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? "David Jones" <dajhawk18xx@@nowhere.com> - 2024-06-18 17:59 +0000
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? davidd02@tpg.com.au (David Duffy) - 2024-06-19 06:48 +0000
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-19 10:12 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-19 16:36 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-19 19:41 +0200
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2024-06-19 22:24 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-20 13:22 +0200
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@gmail.moc> - 2024-06-20 01:53 +0300
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2024-07-08 19:34 +0300
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2024-06-19 15:20 +0300
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Rich Ulrich <rich.ulrich@comcast.net> - 2024-07-02 00:51 -0400
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-07-01 22:10 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Rich Ulrich <rich.ulrich@comcast.net> - 2024-07-02 11:45 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2024-07-08 20:01 +0300
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2024-07-02 03:02 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Rich Ulrich <rich.ulrich@comcast.net> - 2024-07-02 11:52 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Rich Ulrich <rich.ulrich@comcast.net> - 2024-07-02 11:58 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2024-07-02 15:09 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-07-02 16:54 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-07-02 16:58 -0400
          Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2024-06-17 16:58 +0000
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 13:12 -0700
          Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 16:39 -0700
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 06:12 +0100
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-18 09:56 +0200
      Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-17 20:11 +0200
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 11:22 +0200
    Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> - 2024-06-20 21:08 +0100
      Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-21 21:12 +0200
        Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-24 08:40 +0000
          Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 02:55 -0700
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-24 13:40 +0200
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 18:50 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2024-06-24 18:20 +0000
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 14:28 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2024-06-25 00:22 +0100
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 18:31 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-25 07:06 +0000
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-25 10:38 +0200
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-26 00:51 +0000
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 12:33 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 21:48 +0200
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-24 22:59 +0000
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 16:19 +0200
            Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2024-06-25 07:02 +0000
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-25 03:05 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Richard Damon <richard@damon-family.org> - 2024-06-25 07:21 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Phil Carmody <pc+usenet@asdf.org> - 2024-06-28 11:01 +0300
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-28 04:04 -0700
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-28 06:37 -0400
                Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2024-06-28 04:05 -0700
              Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2024-06-28 06:36 -0400
          Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 16:16 +0200
            Down the hall, past the water cooler, third door on the left... (Was: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about) relocation? gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2024-06-24 15:44 +0000
              Re: Down the hall, past the water cooler, third door on the left... (Was: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about) relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-24 20:16 +0200
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2024-06-17 14:15 +0200
    Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-17 14:18 +0200
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2024-06-17 15:21 +0200
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2024-06-17 16:50 +0000
    Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2024-06-17 20:20 +0300
      Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2024-06-17 19:02 +0000
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Rosario19 <Ros@invalid.invalid> - 2024-06-18 11:50 +0200
  Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-25 10:48 +0200
    Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> - 2024-06-25 11:55 +0100
      Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-25 13:28 +0200
        Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Vir Campestris <vir.campestris@invalid.invalid> - 2024-06-26 12:15 +0100
          Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-26 15:01 +0200
    Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2024-06-25 09:56 -0400
      Re: realloc() - frequency, conditions, or experiences about relocation? Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2024-06-25 16:16 +0200

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