overloading operator++ for a pointer

Question

i need to loop through a memory region which contains my own defined types:

struct ModuleList 
{
    char ModuleName[64];
    int32_t NumberOfFunctions;

};

struct FunctionList
{
    char FunctionName[64];
    DWORD FunctionAddress;
};

These lays out in memory like this:

0: ModuleList[0]
0 + sizeof(ModuleList): FunctionsList[NumberOfFunctions]
0 + sizeof(ModuleList)+ NumberOfFunctions * sizeof(FunctionList): ModuleList[1]
.
.
.

What i want to do is, overloading operator ++ for ModuleList* so i can easily increment my pointer correctly, because default ++ operator for pointer only increments for sizeof(ModuleList) and i want to increment for sizeof(ModuleList) and size of functions (which is NumberOfFunctions * sizeof(FunctionList)). These structs in memory are completely dynamic, which my program gets over the network. Currently, i am doing this:

unsigned short ModuleCount = 0;
BYTE* pTemp = (BYTE*)MemoryAdr;
for (; std::string(((ModuleList*)(pTemp))->ModuleName).find(".dll") != std::string::npos; pTemp += ModuleListSize + ((ModuleList*)(pTemp))->NumberOfFunctions * FunctionListSize)
    ModuleCount++;

But i think it looks ugly. Any suggestions?

You cannot overload operators for raw pointers - you would have to create a smart pointer class. — user2100815
– user2100815, Commented Jul 18, 2018 at 10:01
I'm not going to sugarcoat this: Overloading the increment operator(s) for custom pointer aliases will somehow bring clarity to your code? How about we old-school it and walk the structures in the loop, documenting what you're actually doing along the way rather than trying to misuse a feature that won't do anything but obfuscate the code further (if it worked, which it won't). — WhozCraig
– WhozCraig, Commented Jul 18, 2018 at 10:04
You can improve readability by adding a method void next() or similar to ModuleList, and call that in your foor loop — Martin G
– Martin G, Commented Jul 18, 2018 at 10:05
Iterating over heterogeneous content with a single pointer, smart or raw, doesn't make sense. — Passer By
– Passer By, Commented Jul 18, 2018 at 10:05
Partially, I think the issue is with terminology. Had you called it an iterator, then we would all be happy. An iterator is an object that can be used like a pointer in certain ways, and if you follow that pattern I think you can do what you want with reasonable clarity. — Gem Taylor
– Gem Taylor, Commented Jul 18, 2018 at 10:15

nvevg · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-18 10:06:12Z

2

C++ requires that your operator overloads take at least one operand of a "class type" or enumeration type. So, you can't overload operator for intrinsic/POD types and you need to wrap your struct with self-made smart-pointer class (as Neil proposed).

answered Jul 18, 2018 at 10:06

nvevg

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