c++ vector of strings - issue with pointers

Question

I'm trying to write a method that gets a vector of strings and returns a pointer to a random element. Can you please tell what is the problem with the following code?

string* getRandomOption(vector<string> currOptions){
    vector<string>::iterator it;
    it=currOptions.begin(); 
    string* res;

    int nOptions = currOptions.size();

    if(nOptions != 1){
        int idx = rand() % (nOptions-1);

        while (idx!=0){
            it++;
            idx--;
        };

    };


    res = &(*it);
};

Thanks, Li

Answer 1

Why return a pointer? Keep it simple!

std::string random_option(const std::vector<std::string>& options)
{
    return options[rand() % options.size()];
}

And since this works for any type, not only strings, I would prefer a generic solution:

template <typename T>
T random_element(const std::vector<T>& options)
{
    return options[rand() % options.size()];
}

Answer 2

If you want to "returns a pointer to a random element" you need to pass a reference to your vector. For now, it is copied !

You should do :

string* getRandomOption(vector<string> & currOptions)

By the way there is no return in your function for the moment, you need to add a return statement to send your pointer.

Answer 3

Better version of the same , because it works with any container, rather than vectors only. Here's the C++03 version:

template <typename ForwardIterator>
ForwardIterator random_element(ForwardIterator begin, ForwardIterator end)
{
    typename std::iterator_traits<ForwardIterator>::difference_type
        size = std::distance(begin, end);
    if (size) //divide by zero errors are bad
        std::advance(begin, std::rand() % size);
    return begin;
}

If you're on C++11, you can replace the above with this:

template <typename ForwardIterator>
ForwardIterator random_element(ForwardIterator begin, ForwardIterator end)
{
    auto size = std::distance(begin, end);
    if (size) //divide by zero errors are bad
        std::advance(begin, std::rand() % size);
    return begin;
}

Which gets around the std::iterator_traits<t>::difference_type glue.

Answer 4

You are passing the vector by value, ie the function has a local copy of the original vector. Then you [intend to] return a pointer to an element in this vector. But when you return from the function, this local copy is destroyed, and your pointer is left dangling.

Answer 5

maybe you want to change your function prototype to:

const string* getRandomOption(const vector<string>& currOptions)

or

string* getRandomOption(vector<string>& currOptions)

or else you just get an element from a temporarily copy.

Answer 6

Aside from the other problems mentioned in the other answers, when a vector resizes, any pointers or iterators (or references of any nature) become invalid. Don't return a pointer.