[comp.lang.c] array bounds checking

smf7s@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Stephen M. Friedman) (03/08/91)

   My program is doing some strange things, the nature and time of which
are dependent on the sizes of the arrays I use (this is a scalable
simulation).  I therefore suspect that I am somewhere writing off the end
of an array (I use some really big arrays).  My question is, does anyone
know of any tool (UNIX or DOS) that will do dynamic array bounds checking
or in general make sure that all assignments are done in declared or 
allocated space?  Please e-mail any replies.  Thanks in advance.


				Steven M Friedman
				Horizon Institute for Policy Solutions

Mail path:	smf7s@virginia.BITNET
Voice path:	(804) 295 0235 

browns@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (Stan Brown) (03/10/91)

In article <1991Mar7.205810.23361@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, smf7s@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Stephen M. Friedman) writes:
>    My program is doing some strange things, the nature and time of which
> are dependent on the sizes of the arrays I use (this is a scalable
> simulation).  I therefore suspect that I am somewhere writing off the end
> of an array (I use some really big arrays).  My question is, does anyone
> know of any tool (UNIX or DOS) that will do dynamic array bounds checking
> or in general make sure that all assignments are done in declared or 
> allocated space?  Please e-mail any replies.  Thanks in advance.

I have the same problem, and the same query.  (And I'll be we two are 
not the only ones.)  So please email em too, or post.  Thanks.

My opinions are mine:  I don't speak for any other person or company.
                   email (until 91/4/30): browns@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Cleveland, Ohio, USA    +1 216 371 0043

xor@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Joseph Schwartz) (03/12/91)

For array bounds checking on DOS machines (386 or better), look into
Bounds-Checker by Nu-Mega Technologies.  Their address is:
 
  Nu-Mega Technologies
  PO Box 7607
  Nashua, NH  03060-7607
  (603) 888-2386

I don't know whether this product is any good...I haven't used it.

jsegal@oracle.com (Jonathan A. Segal) (03/21/91)

>>>>> On 9 Mar 91 17:38:15 GMT, browns@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (Stan Brown) said:

Stan> In article <1991Mar7.205810.23361@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, smf7s@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Stephen M. Friedman) writes:
>    My program is doing some strange things, the nature and time of which
> are dependent on the sizes of the arrays I use (this is a scalable
> simulation).  I therefore suspect that I am somewhere writing off the end
> of an array (I use some really big arrays).  My question is, does anyone
> know of any tool (UNIX or DOS) that will do dynamic array bounds checking
> or in general make sure that all assignments are done in declared or 
> allocated space?  Please e-mail any replies.  Thanks in advance.

Stan> I have the same problem, and the same query.  (And I'll be we two are 
Stan> not the only ones.)  So please email em too, or post.  Thanks.

Stan> My opinions are mine:  I don't speak for any other person or company.
Stan>                    email (until 91/4/30): browns@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com
Stan> Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Cleveland, Ohio, USA    +1 216 371 0043

A great debugging environment is Saber-C, by Saber, Inc. of Cambridge
Mass.  One of the many things it does is bounds checking of arrays --
it has a complete C-interpreter, and a great user interface (on X or
Sunview).  It is available on several major UNIX platforms (notably
DEC and Sun, maybe others).  It makes debugging a dream, and has
multitudinous load-time and run-time checks, including a whole suite
of memory consistency check, like checking for references of memory
not allocated, using memory of a value of a different type as
indicated, using memory before it has been initialized, etc.  It also
has other project management features, such as a complete graphical
cross referencer, which works both at the source and object level.  It
is very cool.  It is also somewhat expensive (I'm not sure of the
price, as my employer pays for it...), though I think they give good
educational discounts.  (I used it a school as well...).  The only
address I have handy is of their West coast distributor, which is
att: Carl White
Saber Software, Inc.
2672 Bayshore Pkwy
Mtn View, CA 94043

Hope this helps...

--- note:  I have no affiliation with Saber other than that of a
satisfied customer... ---
--
					-JAS
					Jonathan A. Segal
An aspiring bridge player.		jsegal@oracle.com
My opinions in no way reflect those of Oracle Corporation.