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Initialize/reset struct to zero/null

struct x {
    char a[10];
    char b[20];
    int i;
    char *c;
    char *d[10];
};

I am filling this struct and then using the values. On the next iteration, I want to reset all the fields to 0 or null before I start reusing it.

How can I do that? Can I use memset or I have to go through all the members and then do it individually?


C
Community

Define a const static instance of the struct with the initial values and then simply assign this value to your variable whenever you want to reset it.

For example:

static const struct x EmptyStruct;

Here I am relying on static initialization to set my initial values, but you could use a struct initializer if you want different initial values.

Then, each time round the loop you can write:

myStructVariable = EmptyStruct;

@David Heffernan: is this better than using memset if I only want to reset everything to 0??
@hari I'd prefer this approch myself. Using memset makes me feel dirty. I prefer to let the compiler worry about memory layout wherever possible. Strictly speaking such use of memset is non-portable but in practice I'd be astounded if you ever compiled your code anywhere that mattered. So, you can likely use memset safely if you prefer it.
@hari, it is conceptually better, as you provide a default initialization values (something like a object factory pattern.)
@cnicutar I know this. Note that my answer recommends not using memset. Note also the comment about where I point out the non-portability of using memset as a means to assign null values. My previous comment just points out the reality that 0 bits invariably does correspond to floating point zeros.
@kp11 citation please
J
Jens Gustedt

The way to do such a thing when you have modern C (C99) is to use a compound literal.

a = (const struct x){ 0 };

This is somewhat similar to David's solution, only that you don't have to worry to declare an the empty structure or whether to declare it static. If you use the const as I did, the compiler is free to allocate the compound literal statically in read-only storage if appropriate.


Like all optimizations, this is completely compiler dependent, so you'd have to check what your compiler produces. "Usually" on modern compilers it doesn't, these can trace initializations very well and only do what is necessary, not more. (And don't think that such things are problems before you measure a real slow down. They usually aren't.)
"missing initializer" warnings are really bogus. The C standard prescribes exactly what has to happen than, and forsees the { 0 } as the default initializer. Switch that warning off, it is spurious false alarm.
Is the "const" really necessary? Surely the compiler could optimize it properly from the fact that it is a literal that is only used for this assignment.
@JensGustedt Does this typecasting really needed? Can't I write it like this? struct x a = (const){0};
@Patrick, although the syntax is similar this is not a cast but a "compound literal". And you are mixing up initialization and assignment.
u
user411313

Better than all above is ever to use Standard C specification for struct initialization:

struct StructType structVar = {0};

Here are all bits zero (ever).


I don't think you can do that each time around a loop though
This is indeed suppose to work. But unfortunately, gcc & g++ complain about it. gcc generates warnings, while g++ generate an error. I know that gcc & g++ are at fault on this (they are supposed to follow Standard C specification), but nonetheless, for good portability, it is mandatory to take such limitation in consideration.
@Cyan You can use {} in C++. The gcc devs seem unsure whether C++ is supposed to support {0} and I'm not familiar with that part of the standard myself.
@Matthew : Yes, actually, I ended up using memset(), because there were too many portability issues with {0} or {}. Not sure if the C & C++ standards are clear and in sync on this issue, but apparently, compilers are not.
will this work in such a case? struct StructType structVar = malloc (sizeof(StructType)); structVar ={0}
t
templatetypedef

In C, it is a common idiom to zero out the memory for a struct using memset:

struct x myStruct;
memset(&myStruct, 0, sizeof(myStruct));

Technically speaking, I don't believe that this is portable because it assumes that the NULL pointer on a machine is represented by the integer value 0, but it's used widely because on most machines this is the case.

If you move from C to C++, be careful not to use this technique on every object. C++ only makes this legal on objects with no member functions and no inheritance.


The C standard states that NULL is always 0. If the machine is designed such that a predetermined invalid address is not literally 0, the compiler for that architecture must adjust during compilation.
@KevinM Yes, the symbol "0" always correspond to the the NULL pointer even if it is all-zero; but there is nothing the compiler can do if you set the bits to zero using memset.
"C++ only makes this legal on objects with no member functions and no inheritance." It's about whether the type is considered 'plain old data'. The criteria depend on the version of the C++ language.
S
Sourav Ghosh

If you have a C99 compliant compiler, you can use

mystruct = (struct x){0};

otherwise you should do what David Heffernan wrote, i.e. declare:

struct x empty = {0};

And in the loop:

mystruct = empty;

D
Diego Sevilla

You can use memset with the size of the struct:

struct x x_instance;
memset (&x_instance, 0, sizeof(x_instance));

I don't think the cast is necessary here. Is it?
Well, I'm so used to C++ that... well, it will work also in C++, so I don't see it as a burden.
Yeah, I wasn't specific enough. It's any pointer to cv qualified T can be converted to cv qualified void*. Any data pointer, function pointers are a different matter altogether. Kudos @Kevin
memset is an option, but when using it, you have to make sure that the memory written to is exactly the same size as the third parameter, that's why it's better to refer to the size of the actual object, not the size of the type you know it currently is. IOW memset (&x_instance, 0, sizeof(x_instance)); is a much better choice. BTW: the (void*) cast is superfluous in C++ too.
(sorry I missed to look after the question, it's better now)
A
Archmede

I believe you can just assign the empty set ({}) to your variable.

struct x instance;

for(i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    instance = {};
    /* Do Calculations */
}

This is not valid C, not even C99. It needs to be a compound literal like in JensGustedt's answer above.
J
Josh Matthews
 struct x myX;
 ...
 memset(&x, 0, sizeof(myX));

I think OP knows how to call memset, but rather the issue is whether or not doing so is wise
R
RandomInsano

I asked a compiler engineer at work about which option is better (memset vs {0}). Instead of giving my an opinion he pointed me to Compiler Explorer. It's interesting to see how all three options compile out:

https://godbolt.org/z/bPfKeG9Yh

Here's a preview of the code:

// Type your code here, or load an example.
#include "string.h"

struct MyStruct {
    int age;
    int sin;
    char *name;
    int cats;
    char something[64];
};

const struct MyStruct empty_struct = {0};

int test() {
    struct MyStruct blah = {0};
    memset(&blah, 0, sizeof(blah));
    blah = empty_struct;

    blah.age = 99;
    blah.sin = 123456789;
}

The compiler makes different decisions on how to zero memory depending on the member types of the struct. Try commenting out something for example or choosing a non-x86 target.


R
Redee

Memset with NULL is dangerous function.

For C++ better by this way for most simple data structures >>

template<class T>
void Null_MyType(T &obj)
{
    constexpr T o_null = T{};
    obj = o_null;
}

J
JRL

https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xwjhi.png

Take a surprise from gnu11!

typedef struct {
    uint8_t messType;
    uint8_t ax;  //axis
    uint32_t position;
    uint32_t velocity;
}TgotoData;

TgotoData tmpData = { 0 };

nothing is zero.


This does not attempt to answer the question of "How can I reset all fields to 0"