[ericr2427]

So, I wrote a program in C++ and got it working pretty well, and I'm trying to convert the code to C# without completely rewriting it. So far, I've got the majority of the error messages to go away, but one that I can't figure out how to get rid of is the error "You can only take the address of an unfixed expression inside of a fixed statement initializer." The C++ version uses pointers throughout the program and this error occurs frequently.

An example is this code:

struct node
{
    public node* right;
    public node* left;
    public node* up;
    public node* down;
    public node* colHead;
    public int numNodes;
    public int nodeID;
}

causing this error here in the lines containing (pointer) = &(node):

for (int c = 0; c < 4; c++, currentNode++)
{
    node* current = &nodes[currentNode];
    if (c != 0)
    {
        current->left = &nodes[currentNode-1];
    }
    else
    {
        current->left = &nodes[currentNode+3];
    }
    if (c != 3)
    {
        current->right = &nodes[currentNode+1];
    }
    else
    {
        current->right = &nodes[currentNode-3];
    }
    current->up = headers[values[c]].up;
    headers[values[c]].up->down = current;
    headers[values[c]].up = current;
    current->down = &headers[values[c]];
    current->colHead = &headers[values[c]];
    current->colHead->numNodes++;
    current->nodeID = currentNode;
}

Not sure how I can fix this, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[modi123_1]

Well C# has an issue with unsafe pointers - it's that whole "managed code" business.

Read up on C#'s take on pointers here:
http://msdn.microsof...v=vs.80%29.aspx

For background information here's the help file you can read up on for your specific error:
http://msdn.microsof...v=vs.80%29.aspx

[ericr2427]

I'd seen that fix before, but I didn't want to put every single error line in fixed () {} statements. Anyways, I changed one line, headers[i].left = &root; to fixed(headers[i].left = &root) {}, and I got even more errors for just the one line:

Error	1	'solver.headers' is a 'field' but is used like a 'type'
Error	2	The type of a local declared in a fixed statement must be a pointer type
Error	3	You must provide an initializer in a fixed or using statement declaration
Error	4	Only assignment, call, increment, decrement, and new object expressions can be used as a statement
Error	5	The name 'left' does not exist in the current context	
Error	6	You can only take the address of an unfixed expression inside of a fixed statement initializer
Error	7	Only assignment, call, increment, decrement, and new object expressions can be used as a statement

[Momerath]

Based on the small bit of code you posted, you can probably replace every pointer with an object reference. This means you get rid of all the unsafe code, and the '->' become '.'.

[ericr2427]

Okay, this got rid of all of the errors and the project compiled, but when I ran it I got

Unhandled Exception: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

pointing to this line:

    public static void addHeaders()
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 324; i++)
        {
            if (i == 0)
            {
                headers[i].left = root; // this one
                root.right = headers[i];
            }
            else
            {
                headers[i - 1].right = headers[i];
                headers[i].left = headers[i-1];
            }
            headers[i].up = headers[i];
            headers[i].down = headers[i];
            headers[i].numNodes = 0;
            headers[i].nodeID = i;
        }
        headers[323].right = root;
        root.left = headers[323];
    }

which is the location of the first object reference. I would think this would work because I have this line in the class: public static node root = new node();. Is there something I'm missing?

[Momerath]

Probably the creation of the 'headers' objects. Declaring an array doesn't create objects, just a place to hold references to objects.

[ericr2427]

Thanks a bunch, Momerath! Works perfectly.