how to make my stack class dynamic

Question

i write a stack class in c++ (shown below) but it is static and sure it uses lots of memory's. how can i make it dynamic so when ever it need it add some memory to the object and when ever i pop something the memory automatically delete?

template <class T>
class stack
{
private:
    T value[512];
    uint16_t length;
public:
    stack()
    {
        length=0;
    }

    stack(T _input)
    {
        value[0]=_input;
        length=1;
    }

    bool push(T _input)
    {
        if(length+1<512)
        {
            value[++length]=_input;
            return true;    
        }
        else
            return false;
    }

    T pop()
    {
        return value[length--];     
    }

    T peak()
    {
        return value[length];   
    }

    bool has_data()
    {
        return (length>0?true:false);
    }

};

Answer 1

You could also use std::vector :

template <class T>
class stack{
private:
std::vector<T> vec;
public:
inline void push(T arg){vec.push_back(arg);};
inline T pop(){return vec.pop_back();};
};

Answer 2

You have to allocate it dynamically when the need arises. Something like this maybe:

#define STACK_INITIAL_ALLOC   32
#define STACK_CHUNK_ALLOC    32

template<typename T>
class Stack
{
public:
    Stack()
        : data(0), entries(0), allocated(0)
        { }

    Stack(const T &value)
        : data(0), entries(0), allocated(0)
        {
            push(input);
        }

    ~Stack()
        {
            if (data)
                delete [] data;
        }

    void push(const T &value)
        {
            if (entries == allocated)
                allocate();  // Allocate more memory

            data[entries++] = value;
        }

    T pop()
        {
            if (entries > 0)
            {
                shrink();
                return data[--entries];
            }
            else
                throw runtime_error("stack empty");
        }

    T &top()
        {
            if (entries > 0)
                return data[entries - 1];
            else
                throw runtime_error("stack empty");
        }

    // Return the number of entries in the stack
    size_t count() const
        {
            return entries;
        }

private:
    T      *data;      // The actual stack
    size_t  entries;   // Number of entries in stack
    size_t  allocated; // Allocated entries in stack

    void copy(T *from, T *to)
        {
            for (size_t i = 0; i < entries; i++)
                *to++ = *from++
        }

    void allocate()
        {
            if (data == 0)
            {
                allocated = STACK_INITIAL_ALLOC;
                data = new T[allocated];
            }
            else
            {
                // We need to allocate more memory

                size_t new_allocated = allocated + STACK_CHUNK_ALLOC;
                T *new_data = new T[new_allocated];

                // Copy from old stack to new stack
                copy(data, new_data);

                // Delete the old data
                delete [] data;

                allocated = new_allocated;
                data = new_data;
            }
        }

    // Shrink the stack, if lots of it is unused
    void shrink()
        {
            // The limit which the number of entries must be lower than
            size_t shrink_limit = allocated - STACK_CHUNK_ALLOC * 2;

            // Do not shrink if we will get lower than the initial allocation (shrink_limit > STACK_INITIAL_ALLOC)
            if (shrink_limit > STACK_INITIAL_ALLOC && entries < shrink_limit)
            {
                // We can shrink the allocated memory a little
                size_t new_allocated = allocated - STACK_CHUNK_ALLOC;

                T *new_data = new T[new_size];

                copy(data, new_data);

                delete [] data;

                data = new_data;
                allocated = new_allocated;
            }
        }
};

Also a small disclaimer, this code was written straight into the browser. It's not tested, but should work in principle... :)

Answer 3

Any array like structure will be expensive to grow and shrink (T has to be copy constructible) and all the existing Ts have to be moved. If you find that you are doing lots of pushing/popping and you need to keep memory usage low, try using a linked list internally. It only has to be singly linked.

Here is a sketch:

template <class T>
class stack
{
  struct Node
  {
    T data;
    Node* next;
  };
public:

  // methods

private:
  Node *head;
};

Now, to push something on the stack, construct a Node with the T, set it's next pointer to current head, and the head to the Node pointer. Popping involves taking next from the head and setting that to the head.

Of course you need to manage the memory correctly on destruction etc.

EDIT: ah it appears that my assumption that you may know the basics of C++ is incorrect, I assumed you did as you are using a template. In this case - ignore this answer till you've learned the basics!