Allocating struct with variable length array member

Question

I know I can do new char[n] to create an array of n chars. This works even when n is not a compile time constant.

But lets say

Answer 1

You can use placement new:

#include 

struct Test {
    size_t size;
    char a[1];

    static Test* create(size_t size)
    {
        char* buf = new char[sizeof(Test) + size - 1];
        return ::new (buf) Test(size); 
    }

    Test(size_t s) : size(s)
    {
    }

    void destroy()
    {
        delete[] (char*)this;
    }
};

int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
    Test* t = Test::create(23);
    // do whatever you want with t
    t->destroy();
}