What We Will Cover
Continuations
Homework Questions?
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9.1: Introduction to Vectors
Learner Outcomes
At the end of the lesson the student will be able to:
- Use vectors to collect data items
- Access vector elements and resize vectors
- Pass vectors to functions and return them from functions
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9.1.1: Using Lists for Data
- Often times we need to process a group of the same types of data
- For instance:
- Bank account transactions
- Salaries for employees in a company
- Test scores for a group of students
- Temperature data over some period of time
- Consider how we might process following student test scores:
| 90 |
| 95 |
| 87 |
| 89 |
| 98 |
| 96 |
| 85 |
| 79 |
| 95 |
| 100 |
- With this data, we can calculate statistics like:
- Highest score
- Lowest score
- Average (mean) score
- Difference (deviation) of each score from the average
- We can write a program to read this data and make the calculations
- However, to calculate the difference from the mean, we need to first find the mean
- Thus, we have to process all the data twice: one to find the mean and another to calculate the difference of each score from the mean
- To process the data more than one, the best approach is to keep all the data in main memory
Storing Lists of Data
- If we know there are 10 inputs, we can use 10 separate variables
- Using separate variables quickly becomes prohibitive as the list gets larger (100 scores)
- Fortunately, C++ has techniques we can use to organize lists of data
- In this section we will discuss vectors
- In a later section we will discuss arrays
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9.1.2: Defining Vectors
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9.1.3: Accessing Vector Items
- We must specify which slot to use with the
[] operator
- For instance:
scores[4] = 98;
- The number inside the brackets is called an index or subscript
- In C++, the slots of vectors are numbered starting at 0, as shown below:
scores = |
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[0] |
[1] |
[2] |
[3] |
[4] |
[5] |
[6] |
[7] |
[8] |
[9] |
|
- Thus, the assignment to the slot with index 4 is put into the fifth slot
Using Slots
Using Vectors to Collect Data Items
- Note that the index of a vector can be any integer value
- Thus, we can use an integer variable for the index
- We can use an integer variable with a loop to read data into the vector
- Also, we can display the contents of a vector using a loop
- The following program shows an example of collecting and displaying data items
Example Program Collecting and Displaying Data Items
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> scores(10);
cout << "Enter 10 scores:\n";
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
cin >> scores[i];
}
cout << "You entered:\n";
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
cout << scores[i] << endl;
}
return 0;
}
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9.1.4: Changing the Vector Size
Adjusting the Size
Collecting and Displaying a Variable Number of Data Items
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> scores;
cout << "Enter scores (-1 to quit):\n";
int value = 0;
while (value != -1) {
cin >> value;
if (value != -1) {
scores.push_back(value);
}
}
cout << "You entered:\n";
for (unsigned i = 0; i < scores.size(); i++) {
cout << scores[i] << endl;
}
return 0;
}
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More Information
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9.1.5: Vector Parameters and Return Values
Computing Test Statistics
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
/**
Returns a vector containing the deviations from the
mean.
@param v The values to compare to the average.
@param a The average value
@return A vetcor containing the deviations from the
mean.
*/
vector<double> avgDiff(const vector<int>& v, double a) {
vector<double> diff(v.size());
for (unsigned i = 0; i < v.size(); i++) {
diff[i] = v[i] - a;
}
return diff;
}
int main() {
vector<int> scores;
cout << "Enter scores (-1 to quit):\n";
int data = 0;
while (data != -1) {
cin >> data;
if (data != -1) {
scores.push_back(data);
}
}
if (scores.size() <= 0) {
cout << "No data!\n";
exit(1);
}
int highest = scores[0];
int lowest = scores[0];
int sum = 0;
for (unsigned i = 0; i < scores.size(); i++) {
sum = sum + scores[i];
if (scores[i] > highest) {
highest = scores[i];
}
if (scores[i] < lowest) {
lowest = scores[i];
}
}
double average = 1.0 * sum / scores.size();
cout << "Highest score: " << highest << endl;
cout << "Lowest score: " << lowest << endl;
cout << "Average score: " << average << endl;
cout << "Score differences:\n";
vector<double> diff = avgDiff(scores, average);
for (unsigned i = 0; i < diff.size(); i++) {
cout << scores[i]
<< " differs from the mean by "
<< diff[i] << endl;
}
return 0;
}
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Exercise 9.1
In this exercise we explore the use of vectors to collect data items.
Specifications
- Copy the following program into a text editor, save it as
namelist.cpp, and then compile and run the starter program to make sure you copied it correctly.
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
// Enter code here
return 0;
}
- Add a statement to define a vector named
names that is suitable for holding a list of names.
For more information see section 9.1.2: Defining Vectors.
- Add code to use a loop and
getline() to enter names into the list:
cout << "Enter a list of names\n"
<< "When finished enter the word: done\n";
string input;
do {
getline(cin, input);
if (input != "done") {
names.push_back(input);
}
} while (input != "done");
For more information see section 9.1.4: Changing the Vector Size.
- Compile and run your modified program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
Enter a list of names
When finished enter the word: done
Able Ableson
Baker Bakerson
Charlie Charleston
done
- Add a statement that prints the first element of the vector. When you compile and run your program, it should display an additional statement like:
The first name on the list is: Able Ableson
For more information see section 9.1.3: Accessing Vector Items.
- Add a statement that prints the last element of the vector. When you compile and run your program, it should display an additional statement like:
The last name on the list is: Charlie Charleston
Note that names.size() returns the number of slots in the vector. The last slot is one less than the size because slots are numbered starting at zero. For more information see sections 9.1.3: Accessing Vector Items and 9.1.4: Changing the Vector Size.
- Define a function named
showNames() with a string vector parameter using the following code:
void showNames(vector<string>& names) {
// add function statments here
}
For more information see section 9.1.5: Vector Parameters and Return Values.
- Inside the
showNames() function, use a for loop and the size() function to display the names you entered.
For more information see the example in section 9.1.3: Accessing Vector Items.
- After the other statements in
main(), but before the return 0 statement, call the showNames() function.
For more information see section 9.1.5: Vector Parameters and Return Values.
- Compile and run your modified program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
Enter a list of names.
When finished enter the word: done
Able Ableson
Baker Bakerson
Charlie Charleston
done
The first name on the list is: Able Ableson
The last name on the list is: Charlie Charleston
You entered:
Able Ableson
Baker Bakerson
Charlie Charleston
If there are any problems, compare your source code to the listing below.
- Submit your program source code to Blackboard as part of assignment 9.
Listing of namelist.cpp

Check Yourself
As time permits, be prepared to answer these questions. You can find more information by following the links after the question.
- Why would you want to use a vector? (9.1.1)
- How do you define a vector? (9.1.2)
- If you declare a vector with 100 elements, what is the number of the maximum element? (9.1.3)
- What is a vector index? (9.1.3)
- For a vector named
foo, what code do you write to determine its current size? (9.1.4)
- For a vector named
foo, what code do you write to add an element to the end of the vector? (9.1.4)
- For a vector named
foo, what code do you write to remove an element from the end of the vector? (9.1.4)
- Give an example of a useful function that:
- Has a vector of integers as a value parameter
- Has a vector of integers as a reference parameter
- Has a vector of integers as a return value
Describe each function; do not implement them. (9.1.5)
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9.1.6: Summary
- Often times we need to process a list of data
- Vectors offer a convenient way to process such a list
- The vector data type is defined in the standard library
vector:
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
- As an example, the following is the declaration of a vector named
scores that holds 10 values of type int:
vector<int> scores(10);
- This code creates 10 contiguous slots in memory that can hold an
int
- We must specify which slot to use with the
[] operator:
scores[4] = 98;
- The number inside the brackets is called an index or subscript
- We can use any slot like a variable of the vector data type:
cout << scores[4] << endl;
- The index of a vector can be any integer value, which means we can use variables or expressions to specify the index
- This lets us use vectors with loop, like:
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
cout << scores[i] << endl;
}
- We can find the size of a vector by calling the
size() function
- If we know the size of data we are working with, then we should declare the size when we define the vector
- However, we do not always know the size of data we will work with
- Oftentimes the user will decide how many data items to enter into the program
- In this case, we can start with an empty vector and grow the vector whenever we add another element
- The
push_back() function resizes the vector by adding one element to its end:
scores.push_back(data);
- Another member function,
pop_back(), removes the last element of a vector, shrinking its size by one:
scores.pop_back();
- Functions often have vector parameters and return types
- We can pass vectors by value or by reference
More Information
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9.2: Working with Vectors
Learner Outcomes
At the end of the lesson the student will be able to:
- Apply some common list-processing algorithms to vectors
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9.2.1: Bounds Errors
Example Program with Vector Bounds Errors
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#include<iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
const int SIZE = 3;
const int NUM_VALUES = 5;
int main(void) {
vector<int> values(SIZE);
cout << "I will store " << NUM_VALUES
<< " numbers in a " << SIZE
<< "-element vector!\n";
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_VALUES; i++) {
values[i] = i + 1;
}
cout << "Printing using subscript notation:\n";
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_VALUES; i++) {
cout << values[i] << endl;
}
cout << "Printing using the at() function:\n";
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_VALUES; i++) {
cout << values.at(i) << endl;
}
cout << "If you see this, the computer did not "
<< "crash!\n";
return 0;
}
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9.2.2: Finding Values
- Suppose you want to find a particular value in a vector
- This is known as searching a list
- An easy and straightforward algorithm is linear search (a.k.a. sequential search)
- In linear search you:
- Start at the beginning of the list
- Compare each value in the list looking for matches:
- If the value is found, then return the position (index)
- If you reach the end of the list, return "not found"
- Since an index must be
>= 0, then we can use -1 as the "not found" value
- The following example demonstrates linear search
Finding a Value in a Vector
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
/**
Finds the position of an item in a vector.
@param v The vector with the elements to search.
@param item The value to search for.
@return The index of the first match, or -1 if not
found.
*/
int find(const vector<int>& v, int item) {
for (unsigned i = 0; i < v.size(); i++) {
if (item == v[i]) {
return i;
}
}
return -1;
}
/**
Prints all the elements in a vector to the console.
@param v the vector to print.
*/
void print(vector<int> v) {
for (unsigned i = 0; i < v.size(); i++) {
cout << v[i] << " ";
}
cout << endl;
}
int main() {
const int SIZE = 20;
const int MAX_NUM = 100;
srand(time(0));
vector<int> test(SIZE);
for (unsigned i = 0; i < test.size(); i++) {
test[i] = 1 + rand() % MAX_NUM;
}
print(test);
cout << "Enter number to search for: ";
int num;
cin >> num;
int slot = find(test, num);
if (slot >= 0) {
cout << "Found " << num << " in slot "
<< slot << endl;
} else {
cout << num << " not found\n";
}
return 0;
}
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9.2.3: Removing Elements
Removing Elements of a Vector
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
/**
Removes an item from the vector preserving the order
and reducing the size of the vector by one.
@param v The vector with the element to remove.
@param pos The number of the element to remove.
*/
void erase(vector<int>& v, int pos) {
for (unsigned i = pos; i < v.size() - 1; i++) {
v[i] = v[i+1];
}
v.pop_back();
}
/**
Prints all the elements in a vector to the console.
@param v the vector to print
*/
void print(vector<int> v) {
for (unsigned i = 0; i < v.size(); i++) {
cout << v[i] << " ";
}
cout << endl;
}
int main() {
const int SIZE = 20;
vector<int> test(SIZE);
for (unsigned i = 0; i < test.size(); i++) {
test[i] = i;
}
print(test);
cout << "Enter position to remove: ";
int pos;
cin >> pos;
erase(test, pos);
print(test);
return 0;
}
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9.2.4: Inserting Elements
Inserting Elements into a Vector
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
/**
Inserts an item into a vector.
@param v The vector to which to add the element.
@param pos The index before which to insert the
element.
@param value The element to insert.
*/
void insert(vector<int>& v, int pos, int value) {
int last = v.size() - 1;
v.push_back(v[last]);
for (int i = last; i > pos; i--) {
v[i] = v[i - 1];
}
v[pos] = value;
}
/**
Prints all the elements in a vector to the console.
@param v the vector to print
*/
void print(vector<int> v) {
for (unsigned i = 0; i < v.size(); i++) {
cout << v[i] << " ";
}
cout << endl;
}
int main() {
const int SIZE = 20;
vector<int> test(SIZE);
for (unsigned i = 0; i < test.size(); i++) {
test[i] = i;
}
print(test);
cout << "Enter position to insert: ";
int pos;
cin >> pos;
cout << "Enter value to insert: ";
int value;
cin >> value;
insert(test, pos, value);
print(test);
return 0;
}
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9.2.5: Parallel Vectors
- Suppose you want to process a series of product data like name, price, quantity, etc.
- Here is some sample data:
| Name |
Price |
| Milk |
3.95 |
| Bread |
2.99 |
| Cheese |
3.95 |
- You want to be able to display the data and process the items in various ways
- One possibility is to create multiple vectors as shown in the diagram below
- These vectors are called parallel vectors because they must be processed together
- Each slice (name, price, etc.) contains data that must be processed together and kept in order together
A Slice in Parallel Vectors
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|
| |
[0] |
[1] |
[2] |
[3] |
[4] Slice |
[5] |
[6] |
[7] |
[8] |
[9] |
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Problems with Parallel Vectors
- Parallel vectors become a headache in larger programs:
- Each vector must be the same length
- Each slice is filled with values that belong together
- Any function that operates on a slice must get several vectors as parameters
- To remove parallel vectors, look at the slice and find the concept it represents
- Then make the concept into a class
- Finally, eliminate the parallel vectors and replace them with a single vector of objects
- The following program shows such a vector of objects
Example Program with a Vector of Objects
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
class Product {
public:
Product();
Product(string newName, double newPrice);
void print() const;
private:
string name;
double price;
};
Product::Product() {
name = "Unknown";
price = 0.0;
}
Product::Product(string newName, double newPrice) {
name = newName;
price = newPrice;
}
void Product::print() const {
cout << name << " @ " << price << endl;
}
int main() {
const int SIZE = 3;
vector<Product> list(SIZE);
list[0] = Product("Milk", 3.95);
list[1] = Product("Bread", 2.99);
list[2] = Product("Cheese", 3.95);
cout << "Products in my store:\n";
for (unsigned i = 0; i < list.size(); i++) {
Product temp = list[i];
temp.print();
}
return 0;
}
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9.2.6: Processing a Vector of Objects
- When we have a vector of objects, we can read data from a keyboard into the vector
- To accomplish this, we create a temporary object
- Then we assign value to the temporary object
- Once the object is ready we add it to the vector
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
class Product {
public:
Product();
Product(string newName, double newPrice);
void read();
void print() const;
private:
string name;
double price;
};
Product::Product() {
name = "Unknown";
price = 0.0;
}
Product::Product(string newName, double newPrice) {
name = newName;
price = newPrice;
}
void Product::read() {
cout << "Enter the name of the product: ";
cin >> ws;
getline(cin, name);
cout << "Enter the price for a " << name << ": ";
cin >> price;
}
void Product::print() const {
cout << name << " @ " << price << endl;
}
void listProducts(vector<Product>& store);
int main() {
cout << "Enter a list of products.\n";
vector<Product> list;
string repeat = "y";
while(repeat == "y") {
Product temp;
temp.read();
list.push_back(temp);
cout << "Enter another product? (y/n) ";
cin >> repeat;
}
cout << "Products in my store:\n";
listProducts(list);
return 0;
}
void listProducts(vector<Product>& list) {
for (unsigned num = 0; num < list.size(); num++) {
Product temp = list[num];
temp.print();
}
}
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Member vs. Non-member Functions
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Exercise 9.2
In this exercise we explore how to add items to and list items of a vector of objects.
Specifications
- Copy the following program into a text editor, save it as
prodvector.cpp, and then compile and run the starter program to make sure you copied it correctly.
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
class Product {
public:
Product();
Product(string newName, double newPrice);
void read();
void print() const;
private:
string name;
double price;
};
Product::Product() {
name = "Unknown";
price = 0.0;
}
Product::Product(string newName, double newPrice) {
name = newName;
price = newPrice;
}
void Product::read() {
cout << "Enter the name of the product: ";
cin >> ws;
getline(cin, name);
cout << "Enter the price for a " << name << ": ";
cin >> price;
}
void Product::print() const {
cout << name << " @ " << price << endl;
}
// Add a new product to the store
void addProduct(vector<Product>& store);
// List the products in the store
void listProducts(vector<Product>& store);
int main() {
const int SIZE = 3;
vector<Product> store(SIZE);
store[0] = Product("Milk", 3.95);
store[1] = Product("Bread", 2.99);
store[2] = Product("Cheese", 3.95);
// Enter new code here
return 0;
}
Notice that we are using our Product class from lesson 8. Also notice that in main() we add three Product objects to a vector.
- After the closing curly brace of the
main() function, add the following function definition:
void listProducts(vector<Product>& store) {
cout << "\nListing products:\n";
for (unsigned num = 0; num < store.size(); num++) {
cout << (num + 1) << " ";
store[num].print(); // call print() in Product
}
}
Note that this function is calling the print() member function of Product. For more information see section 9.2.5: Parallel Vectors.
- In the
main() function after the comment that says:
// Enter new code here
add a function call to the listProducts() function you just defined.
- Compile and run your modified program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
Listing products:
1 Milk @ 3.95
2 Bread @ 2.99
3 Cheese @ 3.95
- After the closing curly brace of the
main() function, add the following function definition:
void addProduct(vector<Product>& store) {
cout << "\nAdding a new product:\n";
Product prod;
prod.read();
store.push_back(prod);
}
Note that this function is calling the read() member function of Product. For more information see section 9.2.6: Processing a Vector of Objects.
- In the
main() function after the function call to listProducts(), add a function call to addProduct() followed by another call to listProducts() like:
listProducts(store);
addProduct(store);
listProducts(store);
- Compile and run your modified program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
1 Milk @ 3.95
2 Bread @ 2.99
3 Cheese @ 3.95
Adding a new product:
Enter the name of the product: Crackers
Enter the price for a Crackers: 2.49
1 Milk @ 3.95
2 Bread @ 2.99
3 Cheese @ 3.95
4 Crackers @ 2.49
As you can see, you should be able to add a new product to the list.
- Now we want to create a short menu to call our functions. Replace the sequence of three function calls in
main() with the following code:
int choice = 1;
while (choice != 0) {
cout << "\n0. Exit program\n"
<< "1. Report inventory\n"
<< "2. Add a new product\n"
<< "Choice (0-2): ";
cin >> choice;
cin.ignore(1000, '\n');
if (choice == 1) {
listProducts(store);
} else if (choice == 2) {
addProduct(store);
} else if (choice != 0) {
cout << "\nInvalid choice!\n";
}
}
cout << "\nGoodbye!\n";
- Compile and run your modified program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
0. Exit program
1. Report inventory
2. Add a new product
Choice (0-2):
Also, you should be able to add and list products as often as you like.
- Submit your program source code to Blackboard as part of assignment 9.
Partial Listing of prodvector.cpp

Check Yourself
As time permits, be prepared to answer these questions. You can find more information by following the links after the question.
- What are the bounds of a vector? What is a bounds error? (9.2.1)
- What are the steps for finding a particular value in a vector? (9.2.2)
- If the order of items in a vector matters, what are the steps for removing an element from the middle of a vector? (9.2.3)
- What is the easiest location to use for inserting values into a vector? (9.2.4)
- What are the steps for inserting a value into the middle of a vector? (9.2.4)
- What are parallel vectors? (9.2.5)
- Why are parallel vectors indications of poor programming? (9.2.5)
- How can parallel vectors be avoided? (9.2.5)
- How can you read data into an object before inserting it into a vector? (9.2.6)
^ top
9.2.7: Summary
- In this section we discussed how to use some common list-processing algorithms
- In addition, we discussed some common errors made with vectors
- Trying to access a slot that does not exist in the vector is one such error
- However, the standard C++ implementation of vector does not generate an error message when using
[]
- When we make such an error, C++ silently reads or overwrites another memory location
- In a large program we would get strange errors and the occasional spectacular crash
- To avoid this problem, you can use the
at() member function instead:
vector<int> values(3);
...
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
cout << values.at(i) << endl; // crashes
}
- One of the algorithms we discussed was linear search
- We use linear search to find a specific element of a vector
- Linear search is easy to implement using a simple loop:
int find(const vector<int>& v, int item) {
for (unsigned i = 0; i < v.size(); i++) {
if (item == v[i]) {
return i;
}
}
return -1;
}
- We discussed how to remove an item from a list as well
- If order does not matter then we can:
- Overwrite the element to be removed with the last element of the vector
- Shrink the size of the vector
- However, if order matters then we must:
- Move all elements down by one slot
- Shrink the size of the vector
- Again, we can implement this operation using a loop:
void erase(vector<int>& v, int pos) {
for (unsigned i = pos; i < v.size() - 1; i++) {
v[i] = v[i+1];
}
v.pop_back();
}
- In addition to removing items from a list, we often need to insert items
- We can either add items to the end of a list or in the middle
- If we add items to the end, we can just call the
push_back() function of the vector:
v.push_back(item);
- However, if we want to insert an item in the middle of a list we must:
- Add a new element at the end of the vector
- Move all elements above the insertion location up by one slot
- For example:
void insert(vector<int>& v, int pos, int value) {
int last = v.size() - 1;
v.push_back(v[last]);
for (int i = last; i > pos; i--) {
v[i] = v[i - 1];
}
v[pos] = value;
}
- Sometimes we need to keep track of multiple attributes about a list of items
- The naive way to code this is to use parallel vectors
- Parallel vectors become a headache in larger programs:
- Each vector must be the same length
- Each slice is filled with values that belong together
- Any function that operates on a slice must get several vectors as parameters
- To remove parallel vectors, look at the slice and find the concept it represents
- Then make the concept into a class
- Finally, eliminate the parallel vectors and replace them with a single vector of objects
- We looked at an example of a vector of
Product objects
^ top
9.3: Arrays
Learner Outcomes
At the end of the lesson the student will be able to:
- Declare and allocate memory for arrays
- Generate code to initialize arrays
- Access array elements
- Use arrays with functions
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^ top
9.3.1: Introduction to Arrays
- Another way to organize lists of the same type is to use arrays
- Arrays are similar to vectors is many ways, but have some significant differences
- Arrays are a lower-level abstraction than vectors, so they are less convenient
- For example, arrays cannot be resized
- Instead, you usually create some extra space in each array and check to make sure you do not run out of room
- Vectors are a recent addition to C++, so many older programs use arrays instead
- Also, arrays are faster and more efficient than vectors
- Thus, you need to know about arrays so you can work with them as needed
^ top
9.3.2: Declaring and Initializing Arrays
Initializing Array Items
- Like vectors, we must specify which slot to use with the
[] operator:
scores[4] = 98;
- The slots of arrays are numbered starting at 0, just like vectors
- Also, the index can be any integer value
>= 0
- We can assign a value to an array element any time after it is declared:
const int MAX_SCORES = 5;
int scores[MAX_SCORES];
scores[0] = 90;
scores[1] = 95;
scores[2] = 87;
scores[3] = 89;
scores[4] = 98;
- Unlike vectors, we can initialize array elements in the declaration statement:
- Called static initialization
- We use a comma-separated list inside curly-braces
- For example:
int scores[] = { 90, 95, 87, 89, 98 };
- This produces the same array as in the previous example
- The compiler computes the size automatically by counting the items in the list
- If we want a larger array with only the first few elements initialized, we can use:
int scores[MAX_SCORES] = {90, 95, 87};
- Note that if we do not assign a value to an array element, its value is not known
- Unlike a vector, C++ does not assign default values
Example Program Using Arrays
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#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
const int MAX_SCORES = 10;
int scores[MAX_SCORES];
cout << "Enter " << MAX_SCORES << " scores:\n";
for (int i = 0; i < MAX_SCORES; i++) {
cin >> scores[i];
}
cout << "You entered:\n";
for (int i = 0; i < MAX_SCORES; i++) {
cout << scores[i] << endl;
}
return 0;
}
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Initializing Vectors From Arrays
- Static initialization is handy for short lists of items
- However, vectors do not support static initialization
- To get the benefits of static initialization with vectors, we can use an array to initialize a vector
- The following code snippet shows how:
const int SIZE = 5;
int values[SIZE] = { 90, 95, 87, 89, 98 };
vector<int> scores(values, &values[SIZE]);
// Display the vector contents
for (unsigned i = 0; i < scores.size(); i++) {
cout << scores[i] << " ";
}
cout << endl;
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9.3.3: Arrays as Function Parameters
- When writing a function with an array parameter, we place an empty
[] after the parameter name:
void print(int values[], int size);
- We need to pass the size of the array into the function, because the function has no other way of knowing the size of the array
- There is no
size() member function
- When we call the function, we do NOT include the
[]:
print(data, size); // function call
- Unlike all other parameters, array parameters are always passed by reference
- However, we use
[] rather than an & when defining the array parameter
- For example:
void read(int data[], int capacity, int& size) {
size = 0;
int value;
while (size < capacity && (cin >> value)) {
data[size] = value;
size++;
}
}
- Note the use of both the
capacity and size parameters
- The
capacity parameter tells the function the maximum array size
- The
size parameter records how many items the user entered into the array
- The programmer must keep track of both the capacity and size when working with arrays
- Note that arrays cannot be function return types
- To "return" an array, the caller of the function must provide an array parameter to hold the result
Using the const Modifier
- Normally, a function can change the values of array elements
- We can prevent the modification using the
const modifier
void print(const int values[], int size);
The compiler will issue error messages if you accidentally change an array element
If a function with a constant array parameter calls another function using the const array parameter as an argument, the called function must use a const array parameter as well
Otherwise, the compiler will issue an error
The following program shows arrays used with functions
Example Program Using Arrays with Functions
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#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
/**
Fills an array with values from the keyboard.
@param data The array to fill with data.
@param capacity The capacity of the array.
@param size The number of items entered.
*/
void read(int data[], int capacity, int& size) {
size = 0;
int value;
while (size < capacity && (cin >> value)) {
data[size] = value;
size++;
}
}
/**
Displays an array to the screen
@param data The array to fill with data.
@param size The number of items in the array.
*/
void print(const int values[], int size) {
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
cout << values[i] << endl;
}
}
int main() {
const int MAX_ITEMS = 10;
int data[MAX_ITEMS];
int size = 0;
cout << "Enter numbers (Ctrl-Z/D to quit):\n";
read(data, MAX_ITEMS, size);
cout << "You entered:\n";
print(data, size);
return 0;
}
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^ top
9.3.4: Character Arrays

- We do not need to actually specify the size of the array variable for a character array constant
- If we so not specify a size, the compiler will count the characters and create an array of the correct size:
char s[] = "Hi Mom!";
- Note that the size of the array computed by the compiler is 7 for this example
Use for C-Strings
More Information On C-string Functions
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Exercise 9.3
In this exercise we explore declaring, allocating and assigning values to arrays containing lists of data.
Specifications
- Copy the following program into a text editor, save it as
myarrays.cpp, and then compile and run the starter program to make sure you copied it correctly.
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void print(const int values[], int size);
int main() {
// A list of integer scores
// A list of doubles holding temperatures
// A list of chars holding vowels
return 0;
}
void print(const int values[], int size) {
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
cout << values[i] << " ";
}
cout << endl;
}
- Declare and initialize an array for a list of 10 integer scores after the comment:
// A list of integer scores
and using the following code:
const int NUM_SCORES = 10;
int scores[NUM_SCORES] = {90, 91, 92, 93, 94,
95, 96, 97, 98, 99};
For more information see section 9.3.2: Declaring and Initializing Arrays.
- After declaring and initializing the array, call the
print() function using the code:
cout << "Integer scores:\n";
print(scores, NUM_SCORES);
For more information see section 9.3.3: Arrays as Function Parameters.
- Compile and run the program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
Integer scores:
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
- Declare and initialize an array of
double values holding the temperatures 25.7, 30.3 and 40.9 in order.
For more information see section 9.3.2: Declaring and Initializing Arrays.
- Write a
print() function with two parameters: one for the array and one for the size of the array.
For more information see section 9.3.3: Arrays as Function Parameters.
- After declaring and initializing the array, call the
print() function.
For more information see section 9.3.3: Arrays as Function Parameters.
- Compile and run the program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
Integer scores:
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Double temperatures:
25.7 30.3 40.9
- Declare and allocate an array of
char values as a C-string and assign the C-string the vowels a, e, i, o and u.
For more information see section 9.3.4: Character Arrays.
- After declaring and initializing the array, display the C-string using
cout.
For more information see section 9.3.4: Character Arrays.
- Compile and run the program to make sure you made the changes correctly. When you run the program, the output should look like:
Integer scores:
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Double temperatures:
25.7 30.3 40.9
C-string vowels:
aeiou
- Submit your program source code to Blackboard as part of assignment 9.
Check Yourself
As time permits, be prepared to answer these questions. You can find more information by following the links after the question.
- What is the syntax for declaring an array? (9.3.1)
- Why must the programmer track both the capacity and number of elements used in an array? (9.3.1)
- What are two ways to declare and initialize an array? (9.3.2)
- What is the syntax of an array parameter? (9.3.3)
- True or false? An array parameter is always pass by reference. (9.3.3)
- What is a C-string? (9.3.4)
- What is the ending character for a C-string? (9.3.4)
- How large should you make a C-string? Why? (9.3.4)
- What function can you use to convert a
string to a C-string? (9.3.4)
- What function can you use to convert a C-string to a
double? (9.3.4)
^ top
9.3.5: Summary
- In this section we looked at how to use arrays
- Arrays are a lower-level abstraction than vectors, so they are less convenient
- Vectors are a recent addition to C++, so many older programs use arrays instead
- Declaring an array is similar to declaring a vector:
int scores[10]
- Arrays can never change size and the array size must be set when the program is compiled
- When defining an array, we must guess on the maximum number of elements we need to store
- Then we must keep track of both the capacity and number of elements in use in an array
- When writing a function with an array parameter, we place an empty
[] after the parameter name:
void print(int values[], int size);
- We need to pass the size of the array into the function, because the function has no other way of knowing the size of the array
- Sometimes we must pass both the capacity and size of an array to a function:
void read(int data[], int capacity, int& size);
- The
capacity parameter tells the function the maximum array size
- The
size parameter records how many items the user entered into the array
- Unlike all other parameters, array parameters are always passed by reference
- However, we never use an & when defining an array parameter
- Also note that functions cannot return arrays
- There was a time when C++ had no
string class
- Instead, we used a variation of a
char array often called a C-string
- Generally we should use the
string class and avoid using char arrays
- The
string class is safer and far more convenient
- Sometimes we need to convert a
string into a C-string to call a function written before the string class was invented
- We can easily convert a
string to a C-string using the c_str() member function:
string input = "9.99";
double num = atof(input.c_str());
cout << num << endl;
^ top
Wrap Up
^ top
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Last Updated: May 01 2009 @11:48:52
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