Question

If a have an array of pointers to an object, which way of filling the array is cleaner, (1) or (2), in the code segment below? Are

string ** list = new string*[5];
string* s = new string("foo");
*list[0] = *s;  //(1)
list[0] = s;   //(2)

Answer 1

The first method will result in undefined behaviour. list[0] doesn’t point at a valid string object, so dereferencing it and assigning to it will be bad.

The second method looks ok to me (in the sense that it won’t have undefined behaviour), but I guess it depends on how you go on to use it.