I would like to know the exact difference between calloc and which is more useful?? Though calloc allocates memory in the form of blocks and malloc in a single block , do they both allocate memory continuously and if there is an obstacle , would calloc be able to jump the obstacle then allocate another block in remaining heap memory. I would like clarity in the matter.
Thanks,
comwizz
comwizz 0 Light Poster
Salem 5,199 Posting Sage
roshan.nits 0 Newbie Poster
There are two differences. First, is in the number of arguments. Malloc() takes a single argument (memory required in bytes), while calloc() needs two arguments (number of variables to allocate memory, size in bytes of a single variable). Secondly, malloc() does not initialize the memory allocated, while calloc() initializes the allocated memory to ZERO.
Here are more opinions and answers:
Calloc(m, n) is essentially equivalent to p = malloc(m*n); memset(p, 0, m*n); The zero fill is all-bits-zero, and does not therefore guarantee useful null pointer values or floating-point zero values. 'Free' is useable to release the memory allocated by malloc or calloc.
Malloc(s); returns a pointer for enough storage for an object of s bytes. Calloc(n,s); returns a pointer for enough contiguous storage for n objects, each of s bytes. The storage is all initialized to zeros.
Simply, malloc takes a single argument and allocates bytes of memory as per the argument taken during its invocation. Where as calloc takes two aguments, and calculates their product.
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_malloc_and_calloc#ixzz181CywCNY
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