CAllocate
Allocates memory for a certain number of elements from the free store and clears the contents
Syntax
`
Declare Function CAllocate cdecl ( ByVal num_elements As UInteger, ByVal size As UInteger = 1 ) As Any Ptr
`
Usage
`
result = CAllocate( num_elements [, size ] )
`
Parameters
`num_elements`
The number of elements to allocate memory for.
`size`
The size, in bytes, of each element.
Return Value
If successful, the address of the start of the allocated memory is returned. Otherwise, the null pointer (`0`) is returned.
Description
`CAllocate` initializes the allocated memory with zeros.
Consequently, `CAllocate` can be also directly used with `String` or `Udt` containing string, because the string descriptor is cleared (set to 0) first.
Similarly, `CAllocate` can also be used directly with `ZString` or `WString` because string data is created with null characters.
Example
`
' Allocate and initialize space for 10 integer elements.
Dim p As Integer Ptr = CAllocate(10, SizeOf(Integer))
' Fill the memory with integer values.
For index As Integer = 0 To 9
p[index] = (index + 1) * 10
Next
' Display the integer values.
For index As Integer = 0 To 9
Print p[index] ;
Next
' Free the memory.
Deallocate(p)
`
Outputs:

     10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Dialect Differences

- Not available in the -lang qb dialect unless referenced with the alias `__Callocate`.

Differences from QB

- New to FreeBASIC

See also

- `Allocate`
- `Deallocate`
- `Reallocate`