How to check validity of pointer to DllStruct

[SharpDressedMan]

Hello,

Is there any way to check for validity of a pointer to a DllStruct ?

In the above code, a DllStruct is created from an invalid pointer. How to prevent from doing this ?

local $tStruct = DllStructCreate("int  i")
DllStructSetData($tStruct, "i", 123)
local $pStruct = DllStructGetPtr($tStruct)
$tStruct = 0                                    ; destroy DllStruct ==> $pStruct becomes invalid
; how to check here for validity of $pStruct and prevent from doing the following ?
$tStruct = DllStructCreate("int  i", $pStruct)  ; create DllStruct from invalid pointer...
MsgBox(0, @ScriptName, @error)                  ; displays '0' : invalid pointer is not detected by DllStructCreate()
MsgBox(0, @ScriptName, IsDllStruct($tStruct))   ; displays '1' : tStruct is assumed as a valid DllStruct object, which is not

Thanks for help

Edited November 12, 2018 by SharpDressedMan

[water]

Check the help file and you will see that the function returns useful information in case of an error. 

[SharpDressedMan]

53 minutes ago, water said:

Check the help file and you will see that the function returns useful information in case of an error. 

Thanks for answer,

Unfortunately, there is no error returned. The last call to DllStructCreate (with invalid pointer) does succeed despite of the invalid pointer passed.

I updated the code snippet above to state this.

[Earthshine]

the pointer is an address in memory so you tell me how to validate that address. 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Earthshine

[SharpDressedMan]

3 hours ago, Earthshine said:

the pointer is an address in memory so you tell me how to validate that address. 

A **raw** pointer is an address in memory.

I don't know what kind of pointer DllStructGetPtr returns. If it's raw, then you're right: no way to check for validity,

Howver, AutoIt seams to manage memory using some kinds of shared pointers, so one could expect that DllStructGetPtr returns a weak pointer (which allows to check for validity).

 

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by SharpDressedMan

[Earthshine]

What is a weak pointer?

[SharpDressedMan]

1 hour ago, Earthshine said:

What is a weak pointer?

it is an object that includes a reference to a resource managed by a shared pointer.

See C++11 implementation for example: https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/memory/weak_ptr

[Earthshine]

look, you are going to have to look at the object it points to and perhaps write validation code using what you know about the object-- if it's to be done.

so have a look at this

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh279674.aspx

yeah, once the resource is allocated, the smart pointer owns the raw, so probably same thing. other than testing for not being null, what else could you do but interrogate the object it's pointing to.... 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Earthshine

[Bilgus]

Pointers are dangerous they allow you to shoot your feet..

some things are mentioned here: 

The only way I can think to stop the situation is something like this..

local $tStruct = DllStructCreate("int sentinel;int  i")
DllStructSetData($tStruct, "sentinel", 0xBADE1F)
DllStructSetData($tStruct, "i", 123)
local $pStruct = DllStructGetPtr($tStruct)
$tStruct = 0                                    ; destroy DllStruct ==> $pStruct becomes invalid
; how to check here for validity of $pStruct and prevent from doing the following ?
local $tStruct2 = DllStructCreate("int sentinel;int  i", $pStruct)  ; create DllStruct from invalid pointer...
MsgBox(0, @ScriptName, @error)                  ; displays '0' : invalid pointer is not detected by DllStructCreate()
MsgBox(0, @ScriptName, IsDllStruct($tStruct2) And (DllStructGetData($tStruct2, "sentinel") = 0xBADE1F))

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Bilgus