Returning Arrays/Pointers from a function

Question

I am trying to create a new integer array which is derived from a string of characters. For example :

char x[] = \"12334 23845 32084\";  

int y[] = { 12334,         


        

Answer 1

int * splitString( char string[], int n )
{
    int newArray[n];
    return ( newArray );
}

This is very bad! The array newArray local to the function gets destroyed when the function returns. You'd be left out with a dangling pointer and using it would invoke undefined behaviour.

You can't return an array from a function. The best you can do is

int * splitString( char string[], int n )
{
    int *newArray = malloc(n*sizeof(int)); // the array gets allocated on the heap rather than on the stack(1)
    // Code 
    return ( newArray );
}

Don't forget to free the allocated memory.

(1) Note that the standard doesn't use/define the term stack or heap as such.