How to return an array in a function in cpp [duplicate]

Question

This is my code

*int my_arr(int a) {
    int arr[a];
    for (int i = 0; i < a; i++) {
        cin >> arr[i];
    }
    return arr;
}

I keep getting errors

It's impossible to return an array from a function in C++. It's also not legal to declare an array with a variable size in C++. Life is much easier if you use a std::vector instead. Both of those things are legal for vectors. — john
– john, Commented Sep 17, 2022 at 19:45
"How to return an array..." - Use either std::array or std::vector . — Richard Critten
– Richard Critten, Commented Sep 17, 2022 at 19:46
If you changed *int to int* your code would (perhaps) compile, but it would still be bugged, and you are still not returning an array, you would be returning a pointer. And that pointer would be pointing at an array which no longer existed. — john
– john, Commented Sep 17, 2022 at 19:48

Chris · Accepted Answer · 2022-09-17 20:13:55Z

3

You can't return an array in cpp. Instead use vectors.

vector<int> my_arr(int a) {
    vector<int> arr;
    for (int i = 0; i < a; i++) {
        int input;
        cin >> input;
        arr.push_back(input);  // to push elements into vector
    }
    return arr;
}

edited Sep 17, 2022 at 20:13

Chris

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answered Sep 17, 2022 at 19:51

Aniket Sinha

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3 Comments

Captain Giraffe Over a year ago

Your reasonable answer has the Check mark. I'm pretty sure OP is still struggling.

Chris Over a year ago

arr is a somewhat misleading name for a std::vector.

Chris Over a year ago

Also, if you reserve a size for your vector when you create it, you can read directly into it's elements. std::vector<int> vec(a); for (auto &i : vec) { std::cin >> i; }

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