# PVS\-Studio advertisement \- static analysis of C/C\+\+ code This document advertises the PVS\-Studio static analyzer\. It describes how using PVS\-Studio reduces the number of errors in code of C/C\+\+/C\+\+11 projects and costs on code testing, debugging and maintenance\. A lot of examples of errors are cited found by the analyzer in various Open\-Source projects\. The document describes PVS\-Studio at the time of version 4\.38 on October 12\-th, 2011, and therefore does not describe the capabilities of the tool in the next versions\. To learn about new capabilities, visit the [product's site](https://pvs-studio.com/en/) or search for an updated version of this article\. > This article is out of date\\\. An updatable list of articles about the projects we have checked is \[here\]\(https://pvs\-studio\.com/en/blog/inspections/\)\\\. ## What is static code analysis Static code analysis is a methodology of detecting errors in software\. It is based on quick and efficient review by programmer of code fragments marked by a static analyzer in those places where errors are possible\. In other words, a static analyzer detects fragments in the program text containing errors, inclined to have errors or having bad formatting\. These code fragments are reported to the programmer so that he/she examines them and decides whether or not a particular program fragment must be modified\. Static code analysis partly resembles the code review method\. The difference between them is that in the case of static analysis it is software that acts as experts\. Of course, software's capabilities are far weaker than capabilities of a team of programmers\. On the other hand, software cannot get tired, and using it is several tens of times cheaper than code review\. Static analyzers may be both general\-purpose \(for example, PVS\-Studio, Microsoft PREFast, Gimpel PC\-Lint, Parasoft C\+\+Test\) and specialized, i\.e\. intended for detecting particular sorts of errors \(for example, Chord intended for verifying parallel Java programs\)\. Static analyzers are usually used in companies with a high development culture and mature software development processes\. It is determined by the fact that static analyzers require understanding of their working principles and spending some time on studying and integrating them into a development process\. In return they allow you to detect a lot of errors at the early stages of program code development\. The main advantage of using static analyzers is reduction of costs on elimination of defects in a program\. Thus, according to statistics given in the book "Code Complete" by McConnel, fixing an error at the stage of testing is ten times more expensive than at the stage of coding: ![a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image1.png](https://import.viva64.com/docx/blog/a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image1.png) Figure 1\. Average cost of fixing defects depending on the time of their appearance and detection \(the data are taken from the book "Code Complete" by S\. McConnel\)\. Static analyzers allow you to detect many errors of the coding stage, which makes development of the whole project much cheaper\. ## PVS\-Studio tool PVS\-Studio is an easy\-to\-study and easy\-to\-use static code analyzer\. PVS\-Studio is an add\-on for the Visual Studio 2005/2008/2010 development environment\. However, the analyzer can be used from the command line as well, about which you may learn from the [documentation](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/)\. **Main characteristics of PVS\-Studio:** **Supported languages:** C / C\+\+ / C\+\+11 \(within the scope of support provided by the Visual C\+\+ compiler for these languages\)\. **Operating systems:** 32\-bit and 64\-bit versions of Windows XP / 2003 / Vista / 2008 / 7\. **System requirements:** The analyzer's system requirements coincide with those of Microsoft Visual Studio\. **Operation mode:** As an add\-on for the Visual Studio 2005/2008/2010 environment\. Command line launch \([with solution\-file](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/manual/0001/) / [without solution\-file](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/manual/0006/)\)\. Note: PVS\-Studio cannot work with Visual C\+\+ Express Edition since this system does not support add\-ons\. **Integration with continuous integration systems:** [Yes](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/manual/0005/)\. **Product's site**: [link](https://pvs-studio.com/en/pvs-studio/) Documentation: In [English](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/)\. **Downloadable demo version:** [Yes](https://pvs-studio.com/en/pvs-studio/download/)\. **How to purchase:** [Online](https://pvs-studio.com/en/order/)\. **Support:** prompt support by programmers via e\-mail in Russian and English\. Support includes improvements of the tool allowing you to integrate the product into your project's development process\. We take account of users' wishes concerning new diagnostic rules\. ## Types of detectable defects Diagnostic messages of PVS\-Studio can be divided into 4 groups: **1\. Diagnostics of 64\-bit errors** We believe that PVS\-Studio has the most powerful set of static analysis rules detecting [64\-bit errors](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/terms/0002/)\. These diagnostic rules help to port 32\-bit code to a 64\-bit platform and control the process of writing new 64\-bit code\. We have written a lot of interesting articles about 64\-bit errors, you may read them on our site: * [A Collection of Examples of 64\-bit Errors in Real Programs](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/posts/cpp/a0065/)\. * [A 64\-bit horse that can count](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/posts/cpp/a0043/)\. * [About size\_t and ptrdiff\_t](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/posts/cpp/a0050/)\. * "[Lessons on development of 64\-bit C/C\+\+ applications](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/lessons/)" course\. In these articles we discuss the topic of 64\-bit issues in detail, so we will not dwell upon it here\. Let us give only one example so that you understand what type of errors we mean: ```cpp dgCollisionCompoundBreakable::dgCollisionCompoundBreakable(...) { ... dgInt32 faceOffsetHitogram[256]; dgSubMesh* mainSegmenst[256]; ... memset (faceOffsetHitogram, 0, sizeof(faceOffsetHitogram)); memset (mainSegmenst, 0, sizeof(faceOffsetHitogram)); ... } ``` This code was detected by PVS\-Studio in the Newton Game Dynamics project\. Note the second call of the 'memset' function\. A misprint causes this function to fill with zeroes the 'sizeof\(faceOffsetHitogram\)' byte instead of 'sizeof\(mainSegmenst\)'\. Why do we call this error a 64\-bit error? The point is that it emerges only when compiling the code in 64\-bit mode\. In a 32\-bit program, the sizes of pointers and 'dgInt32' type coincide\. It means that the size of arrays faceOffsetHitogram and mainSegmenst coincide in a 32\-bit program\. In a 64\-bit program these arrays have different sizes, that's why the 'memset' function will fill only part of the array\. **2\. Detection of ineffective constructs** PVS\-Studio has some rules to detect constructs that can be optimized\. Ineffective code is certainly not an error, and each programmer should decide himself/herself whether or not he/she needs these diagnostic messages\. Here is a simple example to clarify this point: ```cpp if ((strlen(directory) > 0) && (directory[strlen(directory)-1] != '\\')) ``` The analyzer will generate the [V804](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v804/) warning for this code\. This fragment can be optimized if you calculate the string length preliminarily and put it into a temporary variable\. It is not necessary in every case, but if this code is executed multiple times in a loop, such optimization is really useful\. **3\. Diagnostic rules implemented at the request of users** These rules are rather specific and useful only for a small group of users\. They are mentioned for you to know that our company is always ready to respond to any wishes of our customers\! **4\. General diagnostic rules** This is the most interesting rule set\. It allows you to detect a lot of interesting errors: from misprints to potential attack vulnerabilities\. Examples of source codes are the best advertisement for programmers\. So we will not write abstract texts about static analysis's capabilities but will show examples of these from practice\. If you want to see them right now, pass to the section "Examples of errors detected in various open\-source projects"\. Or wait a bit and read wholly this modest article praising our tool\. ## Handling PVS\-Studio report If you handle the analyzer in the Visual Studio environment, you will be provided with a simple interface consisting of 2 components: a new menu and an interactive window to handle warnings\. 1\. PVS\-Studio menu ![a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image2.png](https://import.viva64.com/docx/blog/a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image2.png) Figure 2\. PVS\-Studio menu integrated into Visual Studio 2005\. You can use it to launch analysis, save/load the log, change settings and perform other functions any programmer will easily understand\. 2\. Integrative window with warnings ![a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image4.png](https://import.viva64.com/docx/blog/a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image4.png) Figure 3\. PVS\-Studio window to handle warnings \(click the screenshot to view in fullscreen mode\) Functions of the window: * Code navigation\. Double\-click the message, use forward/backward icons or press hot keys 'Alt \- \[' and 'Alt \- \]' to navigate the code\. * Open a corresponding documentation section for an error you want to know about\. Click the error code\. * Enabling/disabling various warning sets\. For example, you may look only through the warnings of the first\-level importance relating to 64\-bit diagnostics\. * Various methods of message sorting and filtering\. You can search for particular messages\. There are also other minor features like "mark with asterisk" those messages you find interesting\. * For single messages, a pop\-up menu is also available \(move the pointer to the message and right\-click it\)\. For example, you may perform such an important function as marking a diagnostic rule as false \([Mark selected errors as False Alarms](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/manual/0017/)\)\. ## Incremental code analysis PVS\-Studio enables you to [cheaply integrate](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/posts/0107/) static analysis into a development process\. If "Incremental Analysis after Build" mode is enabled, the analyzer is launched automatically right after compilation and checks only those files that have been "affected" by user editing\. That is, the user sees errors only in the code he/she is currently writing or affecting during refactoring\. The programmer does not have to worry about a large size of code he/she does not deal with at the moment\. This code might be 5 years old; it is not modified, and all the defects in it have been fixed already\. There is no need in rushing to check this code first of all, and the analyzer does not do it\. The programmer will see warnings concerning only the fresh code\. And when he/she has some spare time, he/she may check the whole project looking even into the most rarely visited corners\. Incremental analysis is performed in background, and you may continue to edit your code without having to wait for analysis to get complete\. If the analyzer finds something, it will signal to you by changing the color of the window icon and a pop\-up message\. ![a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image5.png](https://import.viva64.com/docx/blog/a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image5.png) Figure 5\. PVS\-Studio's pop\-up message\. Of course, we all do not like all those annoying pop\-ups\. But in our case it will be obviously useful for the programmer and appear rarely on condition that the programmer does not make too many mistakes in code\. Try it yourself\. We are sure that programmers will like this mode\. ## ROI when using PVS\-Studio This section is intended for those cases when you try the PVS\-Studio analyzer, and it finds just a few errors\. You will ask what the benefit of using static analysis is, when it managed to detect only several defects\. If it happens, remember about this section and read the following 2 posts: * [Leo Tolstoy and static code analysis](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/posts/0105/)\. * [Static analysis and ROI](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/posts/0100/)\. In brief, the profit of static analysis emerges when you use it regularly and not from time to time\. Those errors, that PVS\-Studio could detect quickly and easily, have been already fixed through such expensive procedures as debugging, testing or users feedback\. ## User support It is the analyzer developers themselves who communicate with our customers, which allows them to get quick answers even to complex questions relating to programming\. We are always ready to help to adapt and integrate PVS\-Studio into the development process carried out in a customer's company\. Here are examples of several features we have implemented at the request of our users: * creating report files in a particular format; * script development for specific modes of PVS\-Studio launch; * improving the tool to enable it to interact with a particular continuous integration or build system; * adding new settings into the tool; * choosing only some particular files of a project/solution to check \(name filtering or filtering by time when modifications were introduced \- for instance, for the last day\)\. Besides counseling on using PVS\-Studio and aid in integrating static analysis into the everyday development process, we take account of users' wishes concerning implementation of new diagnostic rules\. ## Examples of errors detected in various open\-source projects We regularly check known and little\-known open\-source projects\. We do it with the purpose to get an opportunity to write a corresponding advertisement item and test the PVS\-Studio analyzer on new code\. Many readers ask if we tell projects' authors about errors\. Surely\. And sometimes it happens that we get a new customer after that\. All the examples of detected errors are divided into several groups\. **This division is rather relative\.** One and the same error can be referred to misprints, vulnerabilities and incorrect array handling at a time\. That's why we have arranged the errors in different categories just to show you that the analyzer can detect a wide range of various defects\. We took only a few errors from each of the projects we have checked, of course\. If we describe all the detected issues, the article will turn into a reference book\. Here is a list of projects we have analyzed: * Apache HTTP Server \- [http://httpd\.apache\.org/](http://httpd.apache.org/) * Audacity \- [http://audacity\.sourceforge\.net/](https://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/) * Chromium \- [http://www\.chromium\.org/](http://www.chromium.org/) * Clang \- [http://clang\-analyzer\.llvm\.org/](http://clang-analyzer.llvm.org/) * CMake \- [http://www\.cmake\.org/](https://cmake.org/) * Crystal Space 3D SDK \- [http://www\.crystalspace3d\.org/main/Main\_Page](http://www.crystalspace3d.org/main/Main_Page) * eMule Plus \- [http://emuleplus\.info/](https://emuleplus.info/) * FAR Manager \- [http://www\.farmanager\.com/](https://www.farmanager.com/) * FCE Ultra \- [http://fceux\.com/web/home\.html](http://fceux.com/web/home.html) * Fennec Media Project \- [http://fennec\.sourceforge\.net/](http://fennec.sourceforge.net/) * G3D Content Pak \- [http://sourceforge\.net/projects/g3d\-cpp/](https://sourceforge.net/projects/g3d-cpp/) * IPP Samples \- [https://software\.intel\.com/en\-us/articles/code\-samples\-for\-intel\-integrated\-performance\-primitives\-library](https://software.intel.com/content/www/us/en/develop/home.html) * Lugaru \- [http://www\.wolfire\.com/lugaru](http://www.wolfire.com/lugaru) * Miranda IM \- [https://www\.miranda\-ng\.org/en/](https://www.miranda-ng.org/en/) * MySQL \- [http://www\.mysql\.com/](https://www.mysql.com/) * Newton Game Dynamics \- [http://newtondynamics\.com/forum/newton\.php](http://newtondynamics.com/forum/newton.php) * Notepad\+\+ \- [http://notepad\-plus\-plus\.org/](https://notepad-plus-plus.org/) * Pixie \- [http://www\.renderpixie\.com/](http://www.renderpixie.com/) * PNG library \- [http://libpng\.org/pub/png/](http://libpng.org/pub/png/) * Qt \- [https://www\.qt\.io/](https://www.qt.io/) * ReactOS \- [https://www\.reactos\.org/](https://reactos.org/) * Shareaza \- [http://shareaza\.sourceforge\.net/](http://shareaza.sourceforge.net/) * SMTP Client with SSL/TLS \- [http://www\.codeproject\.com/KB/IP/smtp\_ssl\.aspx](https://www.codeproject.com/articles/98355/smtp-client-with-ssl-tls) * StrongDC\+\+ \- [http://strongdc\.sourceforge\.net/index\.php?lang\=eng](http://strongdc.sourceforge.net/index.php?lang=eng) * Swiss\-Army Knife of Trace \- [http://www\.codeproject\.com/KB/trace/tracetool\.aspx](https://www.codeproject.com/articles/5498/tracetool-the-swiss-army-knife-of-trace) * TortoiseSVN \- [http://tortoisesvn\.net/](https://tortoisesvn.net/) * Ultimate TCP/IP \- [http://www\.codeproject\.com/KB/MFC/UltimateTCPIP\.aspx](https://www.codeproject.com/articles/20181/the-ultimate-tcp-ip-home-page) * VirtualDub \- [http://www\.virtualdub\.org/](http://www.virtualdub.org/) * WinMerge \- [http://winmerge\.org/](https://winmerge.org/) * Wolfenstein 3D \- [http://en\.wikipedia\.org/wiki/Wolfenstein\_3D](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wolfenstein_3d) * And some others\. ![a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image6.png](https://import.viva64.com/docx/blog/a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image6.png) Figure 6\. Logos of projects we have checked ### Errors of array and string handling Errors of array and string handling are the largest class of defects in C/C\+\+ programs\. This is the price for the capability of effective low\-level memory handling available to programmers\. In the article we will show just a small part of these errors found by the PVS\-Studio analyzer\. But we think any C/C\+\+ programmer understands how numerous and insidious they are\. **Example 1\.** Wolfenstein 3D project\. Only part of an object is cleared\. ```cpp void CG_RegisterItemVisuals( int itemNum ) { ... itemInfo_t *itemInfo; ... memset( itemInfo, 0, sizeof( &itemInfo ) ); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V568](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v568/) diagnostic: It's odd that the argument of sizeof\(\) operator is the '&itemInfo' expression\. cgame cg\_weapons\.c 1467\. The sizeof\(\) operator calculates the size of the pointer instead of the 'itemInfo\_t' structure's size\. It is "sizeof\(\*itemInfo\)" that must be written\. **Example 2\.** Wolfenstein 3D project\. Only part of a matrix is cleared\. ```cpp ID_INLINE mat3_t::mat3_t( float src[ 3 ][ 3 ] ) { memcpy( mat, src, sizeof( src ) ); } ``` The error was found through the [V511](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v511/): The sizeof\(\) operator returns size of the pointer, and not of the array, in 'sizeof\(src\)' expression\. Splines math\_matrix\.h 94 Usually programmers expect 'sizeof\(src\)' to return the size of an array equal to "3\*3\*sizeof\(float\)" bytes\. But according to the language standard, 'src' is just a pointer, not an array\. Thus, the matrix will be copied only partly\. The 'memcpy' function will copy 4 or 8 bytes \(the pointer size\) depending on whether the code is 32\-bit or 64\-bit\. If you want the whole matrix to be copied, you may pass a reference to the array into the function\. This is the correct code: ```cpp ID_INLINE mat3_t::mat3_t( float (&src)[3][3] ) { memcpy( mat, src, sizeof( src ) ); } ``` **Example 3\.** FAR Manager project\. Only part of an array is cleared\. ```cpp struct TreeItem { int *Last; size_t LastCount; ... void Clear() { strName.Clear(); memset(Last, 0, sizeof(Last)); Depth=0; } }; ``` The error was found through the [V579](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v579/): diagnostic The memset function receives the pointer and its size as arguments\. It is probably a mistake\. Inspect the third argument\. far treelist\.hpp 66 Most likely, there is a missing operation of multiplication by the number of items being cleared, and the code must look as follows: "memset\(Last, 0, LastCount \* sizeof\(\*Last\)\);"\. **Example 4\.** ReactOS project\. Incorrect calculation of a string length\. ```cpp static const PCHAR Nv11Board = "NV11 (GeForce2) Board"; static const PCHAR Nv11Chip = "Chip Rev B2"; static const PCHAR Nv11Vendor = "NVidia Corporation"; BOOLEAN IsVesaBiosOk(...) { ... if (!(strncmp(Vendor, Nv11Vendor, sizeof(Nv11Vendor))) && !(strncmp(Product, Nv11Board, sizeof(Nv11Board))) && !(strncmp(Revision, Nv11Chip, sizeof(Nv11Chip))) && (OemRevision == 0x311)) ... } ``` The error was found through the [V579](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v579/) diagnostic: The strncmp function receives the pointer and its size as arguments\. It is probably a mistake\. Inspect the third argument\. vga vbe\.c 57 Calls of the 'strncmp' function in this code compare only the first several characters, not whole strings\. The error here is this: the sizeof\(\) operator, absolutely inappropriate in this situation, is used to calculate string lengths\. The sizeof\(\) operator actually calculates the pointer size instead of the number of bytes in a string\. What is the most unpleasant and insidious about this error is that this code almost works as intended\. In 99% of cases, comparison of the first several characters is enough\. But the remaining 1% can bring you much fun and long debugging\. **Example 5\.** VirtualDub project\. Array overrun \(explicit index\)\. ```cpp struct ConvoluteFilterData { long m[9]; long bias; void *dyna_func; DWORD dyna_size; DWORD dyna_old_protect; BOOL fClip; }; static unsigned long __fastcall do_conv( unsigned long *data, const ConvoluteFilterData *cfd, long sflags, long pit) { long rt0=cfd->m[9], gt0=cfd->m[9], bt0=cfd->m[9]; ... } ``` The code was found through the [V557](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v557/) diagnostic: Array overrun is possible\. The '9' index is pointing beyond array bound\. VirtualDub f\_convolute\.cpp 73 It is not a real error, but good diagnostic\. Explanation: [http://www\.virtualdub\.org/blog/pivot/entry\.php?id\=359](http://www.virtualdub.org/blog/pivot/entry.php?id=359)\. **Example 6\.** CPU Identifying Tool project\. Array overrun \(index in a macro\)\. ```cpp #define FINDBUFFLEN 64 // Max buffer find/replace size ... int WINAPI Sticky (...) { ... static char findWhat[FINDBUFFLEN] = {'\0'}; ... findWhat[FINDBUFFLEN] = '\0'; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V557](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v557/) diagnostic: Array overrun is possible\. The '64' index is pointing beyond array bound\. stickies stickies\.cpp 7947 This error is a kind of the previous one\. The terminal null is written outside the array\. The correct code is: "findWhat\[FINDBUFFLEN \- 1\] \= '\\0';"\. **Example 7\.** Wolfenstein 3D project\. Array overrun \(incorrect expression\)\. ```cpp typedef struct bot_state_s { ... char teamleader[32]; //netname of the team leader ... } bot_state_t; void BotTeamAI( bot_state_t *bs ) { ... bs->teamleader[sizeof( bs->teamleader )] = '\0'; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V557](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v557/) diagnostic: Array overrun is possible\. The 'sizeof \(bs\-\>teamleader\)' index is pointing beyond array bound\. game ai\_team\.c 548 Here is one more example of an array overrun when using an explicitly declared index\. These samples show that such simple at first sight errors are much more widely\-spread than it may seem\. The terminal null is written outside the 'teamleader' array\. This is the correct code: ```cpp bs->teamleader[ sizeof(bs->teamleader) / sizeof(bs->teamleader[0]) - 1 ] = '\0'; ``` **Example 8\.** Miranda IM project\. Only part of a string is copied\. ```cpp typedef struct _textrangew { CHARRANGE chrg; LPWSTR lpstrText; } TEXTRANGEW; const wchar_t* Utils::extractURLFromRichEdit(...) { ... ::CopyMemory(tr.lpstrText, L"mailto:", 7); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V512](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v512/) diagnostic: A call of the 'memcpy' function will lead to a buffer overflow or underflow\. tabsrmm utils\.cpp 1080 If Unicode\-strings are used, one character occupies 2 or 4 bytes \(depending on the data model being used in compiler\) instead of one byte\. Unfortunately, programmers easily forget about it, and you can often see defects like our example in programs\. The 'CopyMemory' function will copy only part of the L"mailto:" string since it handles bytes, not characters\. You can fix the code by using a more appropriate function for string copying or, at least, multiplying number 7 by sizeof\(wchar\_t\)\. **Example 9\.** CMake project\. Array overrun inside a loop\. ```cpp static const struct { DWORD winerr; int doserr; } doserrors[] = { ... }; static void la_dosmaperr(unsigned long e) { ... for (i = 0; i < sizeof(doserrors); i++) { if (doserrors[i].winerr == e) { errno = doserrors[i].doserr; return; } } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V557](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v557/) diagnostic: Array overrun is possible\. The value of 'i' index could reach 367\. cmlibarchive archive\_windows\.c 1140, 1142 The error handler itself contains an error\. The sizeof\(\) operator returns the array size in bytes and not the number of items inside it\. As a result, the program will try to search much more items than it should in the loop\. This is the correct loop: ```cpp for (i = 0; i < sizeof(doserrors) / sizeof(*doserrors); i++) ``` **Example 10\.** CPU Identifying Tool project\. A string is printed into itself\. ```cpp char * OSDetection () { ... sprintf(szOperatingSystem, "%sversion %d.%d %s (Build %d)", szOperatingSystem, osvi.dwMajorVersion, osvi.dwMinorVersion, osvi.szCSDVersion, osvi.dwBuildNumber & 0xFFFF); ... sprintf (szOperatingSystem, "%s%s(Build %d)", szOperatingSystem, osvi.szCSDVersion, osvi.dwBuildNumber & 0xFFFF); ... } ``` This error was found through the [V541](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v541/) diagnostic: It is dangerous to print the string 'szOperatingSystem' into itself\. stickies camel\.cpp 572, 603 An attempt of formatted printing of a string into itself can lead to bad consequences\. The result of executing this code depends on the input data, and you cannot predict what will happen\. Most likely, the result will be a meaningless string or an [Access Violation](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/terms/0063/) will occur\. This error can be referred to the category "code vulnerabilities"\. In some programs, by feeding special data to code, you can exploit such code fragments to cause a buffer overflow or other effects an intruder needs\. **Example 11\.** FCE Ultra project\. A string gets less memory than needed\. ```cpp int FCEUI_SetCheat(...) { ... if((t=(char *)realloc(next->name,strlen(name+1)))) ... } ``` The error was found through the [V518](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v518/) diagnostic: The 'realloc' function allocates strange amount of memory calculated by 'strlen\(expr\)'\. Perhaps the correct variant is 'strlen\(expr\) \+ 1'\. fceux cheat\.cpp 609 This error is caused by a misprint\. It is the 'name' pointer instead of the "name\+1" expression that must be the argument of the strlen\(\) function\. As a result, the realloc function allocates 2 bytes less memory than needed: one byte is lost because 1 is not added to the string length; another byte is lost because the 'strlen' function calculates the string length skipping the first character\. **Example 12\.** Notepad\+\+ project\. Partial array clearing\. ```cpp #define CONT_MAP_MAX 50 int _iContMap[CONT_MAP_MAX]; ... DockingManager::DockingManager() { ... memset(_iContMap, -1, CONT_MAP_MAX); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V512](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v512/) diagnostic: A call of the memset function will lead to a buffer overflow or underflow\. notepadPlus DockingManager\.cpp 60 That's one more example of how the number of array items is mixed up with an array size\. A multiplication by sizeof\(int\) is missing\. We can go on and on showing you errors of array handling we have found in various programs\. But we have to stop somewhere\. Let it be 12, for number 13 is considered to be unlucky\. ### Undefined behavior A bit of theory at first\. Undefined behavior is a property of certain programming languages \(most prominent in C and C\+\+\) to produce a result in certain situations that depends on compiler implementation or specified optimization switches\. In other words, the specification does not define the language's behavior in any possible situations but says: "at A condition, the result of B operation is undefined"\. It is considered a mistake to allow such a situation in your program even if it is executed well at some particular compiler\. Such a program will not be crossplatform and may cause failures on a different computer, operating system and even at different compiler's settings\. A sequence point in programming is any point in a program where it is guaranteed that the side effects of all the previous calculations have already emerged while there are no side effects of the following calculations yet\. To learn more about sequence points and cases of undefined behavior related to sequence points, see [this post](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/terms/0065/)\. **Example 1\.** Chromium project\. Incorrect use of smart pointer\. ```cpp void AccessibleContainsAccessible(...) { ... auto_ptr child_array(new VARIANT[child_count]); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V554](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v554/) diagnostic: Incorrect use of auto\_ptr\. The memory allocated with 'new \[\]' will be cleaned using 'delete'\. interactive\_ui\_tests accessibility\_win\_browsertest\.cc 171 This example demonstrates the case when using a smart pointer can cause undefined behavior\. It may be expressed through heap damage, program crash, incomplete object destruction or any other failure\. The error is this: memory is allocated by the new \[\] operator and released by the delete operator in the 'auto\_ptr' class' destructor: ```cpp ~auto_ptr() { delete _Myptr; } ``` To fix these issues, you should use a more appropriate class, for instance, boost::scoped\_array\. **Example 2\.** IPP Samples project\. Classic Undefined behavior\. ```cpp template void HadamardFwdFast(...) { Ipp32s *pTemp; ... for(j=0;j<4;j++) { a[0] = pTemp[0*4] + pTemp[1*4]; a[1] = pTemp[0*4] - pTemp[1*4]; a[2] = pTemp[2*4] + pTemp[3*4]; a[3] = pTemp[2*4] - pTemp[3*4]; pTemp = pTemp++; ... } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V567](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v567/) diagnostic: Undefined behavior\. The 'pTemp' variable is modified while being used twice between sequence points\. me umc\_me\_cost\_func\.h 168 This is a classic example of undefined program behavior\. It is this construct which is used to demonstrate Undefined behavior in various articles\. It is unknown whether 'pTemp' will be incremented by one or not\. Two actions of changing pTemp variable's value are located in one sequence point\. It means that the compiler may create the following code: pTemp \= pTemp \+ 1; pTemp \= pTemp; Or it may create another version of the code: TMP \= pTemp; pTemp \= pTemp \+ 1; pTemp \= TMP; Which of the two code versions will be created depends on the compiler and optimization switches\. **Example 3\.** Fennec Media Project project\. Complex expression\. ```cpp uint32 CUnBitArrayOld::DecodeValueRiceUnsigned(uint32 k) { ... while (!(m_pBitArray[m_nCurrentBitIndex >> 5] & Powers_of_Two_Reversed[m_nCurrentBitIndex++ & 31])) {} ... } ``` The error was found through the [V567](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v567/) diagnostic: Undefined behavior\. The 'm\_nCurrentBitIndex' variable is modified while being used twice at single sequence point\. MACLib unbitarrayold\.cpp 78 There are no sequence points between two instances of using the 'm\_nCurrentBitIndex' variable\. It means that the standard does not specify the moment when this variable is incremented\. Correspondingly, this code may work differently depending on the compiler and optimization switches\. **Example 4\.** Miranda IM project\. Complex expression\. ```cpp short ezxml_internal_dtd(ezxml_root_t root, char *s, size_t len) { ... while (*(n = ++s + strspn(s, EZXML_WS)) && *n != '>') { ... } ``` The error was found through the [V567](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v567/) diagnostic: Undefined behavior\. The 's' variable is modified while being used twice between sequence points\.msne zxml\.c 371 Prefix increment of the variable is used here\. But it does not mean anything: it cannot be guaranteed that the 's' variable will be incremented before calling the strspn\(\) function\. ### Errors relating to operation priorities To make understanding of examples easier, let's recall the [operation priorities](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/terms/0064/) table\. ![a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image7.png](https://import.viva64.com/docx/blog/a0077_PVS-Studio_detects/image7.png) Figure 7 \- Operation priorities in C/C\+\+ **Example 1\.** MySQL project\. Priorities of \! and & operations\. ```cpp int ha_innobase::create(...) { ... if (srv_file_per_table && !mysqld_embedded && (!create_info->options & HA_LEX_CREATE_TMP_TABLE)) { ... } ``` The error was found through the [V564](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v564/) diagnostic: The '&' operator is applied to bool type value\. You've probably forgotten to include parentheses or intended to use the '&&' operator\. innobase ha\_innodb\.cc 6789 The programmer wanted a part of the expression to check that a certain bit in the 'create\_info\-\>options' variable is equal to zero\. But the priority of the '\!' operation is higher than that of the '&' operation, that's why the expression works by this algorithm: ```cpp ((!create_info->options) & HA_LEX_CREATE_TMP_TABLE) ``` We should use additional parentheses if we want the code to work properly: ```cpp (!(create_info->options & HA_LEX_CREATE_TMP_TABLE)) ``` Or, what we find nicer, write the code in the following way: ```cpp ((create_info->options & HA_LEX_CREATE_TMP_TABLE) == 0) ``` **Example 2\.** eMule Plus project\. Priorities of \* and \+\+ operations\. ```cpp STDMETHODIMP CCustomAutoComplete::Next(..., ULONG *pceltFetched) { ... if (pceltFetched != NULL) *pceltFetched++; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V532](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v532/) diagnostic: Consider inspecting the statement of '\*pointer\+\+' pattern\. Probably meant: '\(\*pointer\)\+\+'\. emule customautocomplete\.cpp 277 If 'pceltFetched' is not a null pointer, the function must increment the variable of the ULONG type this pointer refers to\. The error is this: the priority of the '\+\+' operation is higher than that of '\*' operation \(pointer dereferencing\)\. The "\*pceltFetched\+\+;" line is identical to the following code: ```cpp TMP = pceltFetched + 1; *pceltFetched; pceltFetched = TMP; ``` Virtually it is just increment of the pointer\. To make the code correct, we must add parentheses: "\(\*pceltFetched\)\+\+;"\. **Example 3\.** Chromium project\. Priorities of & and \!\= operations\. ```cpp #define FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY 0x00000010 bool GetPlatformFileInfo(PlatformFile file, PlatformFileInfo* info) { ... info->is_directory = file_info.dwFileAttributes & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY != 0; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V564](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v564/) diagnostic: The '&' operator is applied to bool type value\. You've probably forgotten to include parentheses or intended to use the '&&' operator\. base platform\_file\_win\.cc 216 Programmers easily forget that the priority of the '\!\=' operation is higher than that of '&'\. This is what happened in our case\. As a result, we have the following expression: ```cpp info->is_directory = file_info.dwFileAttributes & (0x00000010 != 0); ``` Let's simplify the expression: ```cpp info->is_directory = file_info.dwFileAttributes & (true); ``` Let's simplify it once again: ```cpp info->is_directory = file_info.dwFileAttributes & 1; ``` It turns out that we have tested the first bit instead of the fifth bit\. To fix this, we need to add parentheses\. **Example 4\.** BCmenu project\. IF and ELSE mixed up\. ```cpp void BCMenu::InsertSpaces(void) { if(IsLunaMenuStyle()) if(!xp_space_accelerators) return; else if(!original_space_accelerators) return; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V563](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v563/) diagnostic: It is possible that this 'else' branch must apply to the previous 'if' statement\. fire bcmenu\.cpp 1853 This is not an error of operation priorities, but one relative to it\. The programmer does not take into account that the 'else' branch refers to the nearest 'if' operator\. We can see that the code justification as if it works by the following algorithm: ```cpp if(IsLunaMenuStyle()) { if(!xp_space_accelerators) return; } else { if(!original_space_accelerators) return; } ``` But actually it is equivalent to the following construct: ```cpp if(IsLunaMenuStyle()) { if(!xp_space_accelerators) { return; } else { if(!original_space_accelerators) return; } } ``` **Example 5\.** IPP Samples project\. Priorities of ?: and \| operations\. ```cpp vm_file* vm_file_fopen(...) { ... mds[3] = FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL | (islog == 0) ? 0 : FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V502](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v502/) diagnostic: Perhaps the '?:' operator works in a different way than it was expected\. The '?:' operator has a lower priority than the '\|' operator\. vm vm\_file\_win\.c 393 Depending on the 'islog' variable's value, the expression must be either equal to "FILE\_ATTRIBUTE\_NORMAL" or "FILE\_ATTRIBUTE\_NORMAL \| FILE\_FLAG\_NO\_BUFFERING"\. But it does not happen\. Priority of the '?:' operation is lower than that of '\|'\. As a result, the code acts as follows: ```cpp mds[3] = (FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL | (islog == 0)) ? 0 : FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING; ``` Let's simplify the expression: ```cpp mds[3] = (0x00000080 | ...) ? 0 : FILE_FLAG_NO_BUFFERING; ``` Since FILE\_ATTRIBUTE\_NORMAL equals 0x00000080, the condition is always true\. It means that 0 will always be written into mds\[3\]\. **Example 6\.** Newton Game Dynamics project\. Priorities of ?: and \* operations\. ```cpp dgInt32 CalculateConvexShapeIntersection (...) { ... den = dgFloat32 (1.0e-24f) * (den > dgFloat32 (0.0f)) ? dgFloat32 (1.0f) : dgFloat32 (-1.0f); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V502](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v502/) diagnostic: Perhaps the '?:' operator works in a different way than it was expected\. The '?:' operator has a lower priority than the '\*' operator\. physics dgminkowskiconv\.cpp 1061 The error in this code again relates to the low priority of the '?:' operation\. The condition for the '?:' operator is expressed by a meaningless subexpression "dgFloat32 \(1\.0e\-24f\) \* \(den \> dgFloat32 \(0\.0f\)\)"\. Adding parentheses will solve the issue\. By the way, programmers often forget how cunning the '?:' operator is\. Here is a post on this topic: "How to make fewer errors at the stage of code writing\. [Part N2](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/posts/cpp/a0072/)"\. ### Formatted output errors Examples of these errors are boring and alike, so we will examine only a few samples\. The point is that functions with a variable number of arguments accept actual arguments incompatible with the format string\. Any programmer who uses such functions as printf\(\) is familiar with this type of errors\. **Example 1\.** ReactOS project\. Incorrect printing of a WCHAR\-character\. ```cpp static void REGPROC_unescape_string(WCHAR* str) { ... default: fprintf(stderr, "Warning! Unrecognized escape sequence: \\%c'\n", str[str_idx]); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V576](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v576/) diagnostic: Incorrect format\. Consider checking the third actual argument of the 'fprintf' function\. The char type argument is expected\. regedit regproc\.c 293 The fprinf\(\) function must print a character of the char type\. But the third argument is a character of the WCHAR type\. The user will get an incorrectly generated message\. To fix the code, we should replace '%c' with '%C' in the format string\. **Example 2\.** Intel AMT SDK project\. Character '%' missing\. ```cpp void addAttribute(...) { ... int index = _snprintf(temp, 1023, "%02x%02x:%02x%02x:%02x%02x:%02x%02x:" "%02x%02x:02x%02x:%02x%02x:%02x%02x", value[0],value[1],value[2],value[3],value[4], value[5],value[6],value[7],value[8], value[9],value[10],value[11],value[12], value[13],value[14],value[15]); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V576](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v576/) diagnostic: Incorrect format\. A different number of actual arguments is expected while calling '\_snprintf' function\. Expected: 18\. Present: 19\. mod\_pvs mod\_pvs\.cpp 308 It is not easy to find an error here at first sight\. However, the PVS\-Studio analyzer does not get tired and notices that the function takes more actual arguments than specified in the format string\. The reason is that the '%' character is missing in one place\. Let's single out this fragment: ```cpp "%02x%02x:[HERE]02x%02x:%02x%02x:%02x%02x", ``` **Example 3\.** Intel AMT SDK project\. Unused argument\. ```cpp bool GetUserValues(...) { ... printf("Error: illegal value. Aborting.\n", tmp); return false; } ``` The error was found through the [V576](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v576/) diagnostic: Incorrect format\. A different number of actual arguments is expected while calling 'printf' function\. Expected: 1\. Present: 2\. RemoteControlSample remotecontrolsample\.cpp 792 The error is this: the 'tmp' variable is not used in any way when printing the information message\. **Example 4\.** G3D Content Pak project\. Printing of meaningless data\. ```cpp class Matrix3 { ... inline float* operator[] (int iRow) { ... }; void AnyVal::serialize(G3D::TextOutput& t) const { ... const Matrix3& m = *(Matrix3*)m_value; ... t.printf("%10.5f, %10.5f, %10.5f,\n %10.5f, %10.5f, %10.5f,\n %10.5f, %10.5f, %10.5f)", m[0, 0], m[0, 1], m[0, 2], m[1, 0], m[1, 1], m[1, 2], m[2, 0], m[2, 1], m[2, 2]); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V520](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v520/) diagnostic: The comma operator ',' in array index expression '\[0, 0\]'\. graphics3D anyval\.cpp 275 The program prints meaningless values instead of the matrix\. You may write such a code when you work with different programming languages and sometimes forget how to access an item in a two\-dimensional array in the C language\. Let's see how the 'm\[0, 1\]' expression works\. At first, expression"0, 1" is calculated\. The result of this expression is 1\. Then the 'operator\[\]' function is called in the Matrix3 class\. The function takes the actual argument 1 and returns the pointer to the first string in the matrix\. It is the value of this pointer that will be printed by the 'printf\(\)' function though it expects a value of the float\-type\. This is the correct code: ```cpp t.printf("%10.5f, %10.5f, %10.5f,\n %10.5f, %10.5f, %10.5f,\n %10.5f, %10.5f, %10.5f)", m[0][0], m[0][1], m[0][2], m[1][0], m[1][1], m[1][2], m[2][0], m[2][1], m[2][2]); ``` ### Examples of misprints found in code A lot of programming errors are caused by misprints\. Most of these errors are quickly detected at the early stages of testing\. But there are some defects of this kind that remain in code for a long time causing troubles both to programmers and users\. You can make these errors much fewer using the PVS\-Studio analyzer\. It will find them before testing starts, which will significantly reduce the cost of defect detection and elimination\. **Example 1\.** Miranda IM project\. Assignment inside IF\. ```cpp void CIcqProto::handleUserOffline(BYTE *buf, WORD wLen) { ... else if (wTLVType = 0x29 && wTLVLen == sizeof(DWORD)) ... } ``` The error was found through the [V560](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v560/) diagnostic: A part of conditional expression is always true: 0x29\. icqoscar8 fam\_03buddy\.cpp 632 Because of a misprint, there is an assignment taking place inside the condition of the 'if' operator\. This is the correct condition: "if \(wTLVType \=\= 0x29 && wTLVLen \=\= sizeof\(DWORD\)\)"\. **Example 2\.** ReactOS project\. Assignment error\. ```cpp BOOL WINAPI GetMenuItemInfoA(...) { ... mii->cch = mii->cch; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V570](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v570/) diagnostic: The 'mii\-\>cch' variable is assigned to itself\. user32 menu\.c 4347 The value of the variable is assigned to itself\. The programmer apparently intended to write it in this way: "mii\-\>cch \= miiW\-\>cch;"\. **Example 3\.** Clang project\. Object name misprinted\. ```cpp static Value *SimplifyICmpInst(...) { ... case Instruction::Shl: { bool NUW = LBO->hasNoUnsignedWrap() && LBO->hasNoUnsignedWrap(); bool NSW = LBO->hasNoSignedWrap() && RBO->hasNoSignedWrap(); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V501](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v501/) diagnostic: There are identical sub\-expressions 'LBO\-\>hasNoUnsignedWrap \(\)' to the left and to the right of the '&&' operator\. LLVMAnalysis instructionsimplify\.cpp 1891 There is a misprint when using variables with similar names\. In the first line, both LBO and RBO variables must be used\. This is the correct code: ```cpp bool NUW = LBO->hasNoUnsignedWrap() && RBO->hasNoUnsignedWrap(); ``` **Example 4\.** Notepad\+\+ project\. Incorrect state test\. ```cpp bool _isPointXValid; bool _isPointYValid; ... bool isPointValid() { return _isPointXValid && _isPointXValid; }; ``` The error was found through the [V501](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v501/) diagnostic: There are identical sub\-expressions to the left and to the right of the '&&' operator\. \_isPointXValid && \_isPointXValid The name '\_isPointXValid' is used twice\. The function must actually return this code: "\_isPointXValid && \_isPointYValid"\. **Example 5\.** StrongDC\+\+ project\. Unsuccessful check of \\r\\n\. ```cpp static void getContentLengthAndHeaderLength(...) { ... while(line[linelen] != '\r' && line[linelen] != '\r') ... } ``` The error was found through the [V501](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v501/) diagnostic: There are identical sub\-expressions 'line \[linelen\] \!\= '\\r'' to the left and to the right of the '&&' operator\. miniupnpc miniupnpc\.c 153 Because of a misprint, presence of the '\\r' character is checked twice\. Actually presence of the '\\n' character must be checked too\. **Example 6\.** G3D Content Pak project\. A closing parenthesis in a wrong place\. ```cpp bool Matrix4::operator==(const Matrix4& other) const { if (memcmp(this, &other, sizeof(Matrix4) == 0)) { return true; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V575](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v575/) diagnostic: The 'memcmp' function processes '0' elements\. Inspect the 'third' argument\. graphics3D matrix4\.cpp 269 One closing parenthesis is in a wrong place\. It turns out that the size of the memory area being compared is calculated by the "sizeof\(Matrix4\) \=\= 0" expression\. This expression always has the 'false' result\. Then 'false' turns into an integer value equal to 0\. This is the correct code: ```cpp if (memcmp(this, &other, sizeof(Matrix4)) == 0) { ``` **Example 7\.** QT project\. Error of structure member copying\. ```cpp PassRefPtr Structure::getterSetterTransition(Structure* structure) { ... transition->m_propertyStorageCapacity = structure->m_propertyStorageCapacity; transition->m_hasGetterSetterProperties = transition->m_hasGetterSetterProperties; transition->m_hasNonEnumerableProperties = structure->m_hasNonEnumerableProperties; transition->m_specificFunctionThrashCount = structure->m_specificFunctionThrashCount; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V570](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v570/) diagnostic: The 'transition\-\>m\_hasGetterSetterProperties' variable is assigned to itself\. QtScript structure\.cpp 512 It is not easy to find an error looking at this code\. But it _is_ there\. The field 'm\_hasGetterSetterProperties' is copied into itself\. This is the correct code: ```cpp transition->m_hasGetterSetterProperties = structure->m_hasGetterSetterProperties; ``` **Example 8\.** Apache HTTP Server project\. Extra sizeof operator\. ```cpp PSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES GetNullACL(void) { PSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES sa; sa = (PSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES) LocalAlloc(LPTR, sizeof(SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES)); sa->nLength = sizeof(sizeof(SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES)); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V568](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v568/) diagnostic: It's odd that the argument of sizeof\(\) operator is the 'sizeof \(SECURITY\_ATTRIBUTES\)' expression\. libhttpd util\_win32\.c 115 The field 'nLength' must contain the size of the 'SECURITY\_ATTRIBUTES' structure\. There is a misprint in the code: the 'sizeof' operator is used twice\. As a result, the field 'nLength' stores a size of the 'size\_t' type\. This is the correct code: ```cpp sa->nLength = sizeof(SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES); ``` **Example 9\.** FCE Ultra project\. Double variable declaration\. ```cpp int iNesSaveAs(char* name) { ... fp = fopen(name,"wb"); int x = 0; if (!fp) int x = 1; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V561](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v561/) diagnostic: It's probably better to assign value to 'x' variable than to declare it anew\. Previous daclaration: ines\.cpp, line 960\. fceuxines\.cpp 962 The 'x' variable must store information whether or not a file was opened successfully\. Because of a misprint, a new variable named 'x' is created and initialized instead of assigning 1 to the existing variable\. This is how the correct code must look: ```cpp if (!fp) x = 1; ``` **Example 10\.** Notepad\+\+ project\. Using && operator instead of &\. ```cpp TCHAR GetASCII(WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) { ... result=ToAscii(wParam, (lParam >> 16) && 0xff, keys,&dwReturnedValue,0); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V560](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v560/) diagnostic: A part of conditional expression is always true: 0xff\. notepadPlus babygrid\.cpp 694 The "\(lParam \>\> 16\) && 0xff" expression is meaningless and is always equal to 1 \(true\)\. A misprint here is in using the '&&' operator instead of '&'\. **Example 11\.** WinDjView project\. Incomplete condition\. ```cpp inline bool IsValidChar(int c) { return c == 0x9 || 0xA || c == 0xD || c >= 0x20 && c <= 0xD7FF || c >= 0xE000 && c <= 0xFFFD || c >= 0x10000 && c <= 0x10FFFF; } ``` The error was found through the [V560](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v560/) diagnostic: A part of conditional expression is always true: 0xA\. WinDjView xmlparser\.cpp 45 False The IsValidChar function always returns 'true'\. Comparison is missing in one place because of a misprint: "\.\.\. \|\| 0xA \|\| \.\.\."\. **Example 12\.** Fennec Media Project project\. Extra semicolon\. ```cpp int settings_default(void) { ... for(i=0; i<16; i++); for(j=0; j<32; j++) { settings.conversion.equalizer_bands.boost[i][j] = 0.0; settings.conversion.equalizer_bands.preamp[i] = 0.0; } } ``` The error was found through the [V529](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v529/) diagnostic: Odd semicolon ';' after 'for' operator\. settings\.c 483 All the C and C\+\+ programmers know how dangerous an extra semicolon ';' is\. Unfortunately, this knowledge does not prevent them from making such misprints\. There is an extra semicolon after the first 'for' operator, which makes this program fragment unable to execute\. **Example 13\.** QT project\. Missing break operator\. ```cpp int QCleanlooksStyle::pixelMetric(...) { ... case PM_SpinBoxFrameWidth: ret = 3; break; case PM_MenuBarItemSpacing: ret = 6; case PM_MenuBarHMargin: ret = 0; break; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V519](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v519/) diagnostic: The 'ret' variable is assigned values twice successively\. Perhaps this is a mistake\. Check lines: 3765, 3767\. QtGui qcleanlooksstyle\.cpp 3767 This is a classic error \- 'break' is missing inside the 'switch' operator\. I think you do not need any further comments here\. **Example 14\.** Miranda IM project\. Assignment instead of comparison\. ```cpp int FindItem(...) { ... int ret; ret=FindItem(hwnd,dat,hItem, (struct ClcContact ** )&z, (struct ClcGroup ** )&isv,NULL); if (ret=0) {return (0);} ... } ``` The error was found through the [V559](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v559/) diagnostic: Suspicious assignment inside the condition expression of 'if' operator: ret \= 0\. clist\_mw clcidents\.c 179 There is a misprint inside the condition of the 'if' operator: '\=' is written instead of '\=\='\. The function will handle the situation incorrectly when a certain item is not found\. **Example 15\.** IPP Samples project\. Incorrect index\. ```cpp struct AVS_MB_INFO { ... Ipp8u refIdx[AVS_DIRECTIONS][4]; ... }; void AVSCompressor::GetRefIndiciesBSlice(void){ ... if (m_pMbInfo->predType[0] & predType) { m_refIdx[iRefNum] = m_pMbInfo->refIdx[dir][0]; iRefNum += 1; } if (m_pMbInfo->predType[1] & predType) { m_refIdx[iRefNum] = m_pMbInfo->refIdx[dir][1]; iRefNum += 1; } if (m_pMbInfo->predType[2] & predType) { m_refIdx[iRefNum] = m_pMbInfo->refIdx[dir][2]; iRefNum += 1; } if (m_pMbInfo->predType[3] & predType) { m_refIdx[iRefNum] = m_pMbInfo->refIdx[dir][30]; iRefNum += 1; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V557](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v557/) diagnostic: Array overrun is possible\. The '30' index is pointing beyond array bound\. avs\_enc umc\_avs\_enc\_compressor\_enc\_b\.cpp 495 Consider this fragment: "m\_pMbInfo\-\>refIdx\[dir\]\[30\]"\. Because of a misprint, number 30 is written instead of index 3\. By the way, this sample shows well how relative our division of errors into categories is\. This error might well be referred to the category "Errors of array and string handling"\. The division is relative and is made to show diversity of errors the PVS\-Studio analyzer can detect\. **Example 16\.** ReactOS project\. Misprint in a macro\. ```cpp #define SWAP(a,b,c) c = a;\ a = b;\ a = c ``` The error was found through the [V519](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v519/) diagnostic: The 'v2' variable is assigned values twice successively\. Perhaps this is a mistake\. Check lines: 343, 343\. win32k gradient\.c 343 It is a rather funny misprint in a macro intended to swap values in two variables\. Look closely at the code and you will see what I mean\. This is the correct code: ```cpp #define SWAP(a,b,c) c = a;\ a = b;\ b = c ``` This time we did not manage to stop at the 13\-th example: so many errors in software are caused by misprints\. There are much more errors of this kind than programmers think\. We could go on and on in this section but we decide to stop at the 16\-th example at last\. ### Incorrect use of base functions and classes **Example 1\.** Fennec Media Project\. Two terminal nulls absent\. ```cpp int JoiningProc(HWND hwnd,UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam,LPARAM lParam) { ... OPENFILENAME lofn; memset(&lofn, 0, sizeof(lofn)); ... lofn.lpstrFilter = uni("All Files (*.*)\0*.*"); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V540](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v540/) diagnostic: Member 'lpstrFilter' should point to string terminated by two 0 characters\. base windows\.c 5309 In Windows API there are structures in which pointers to strings must end with two null characters\. It is that very kind of string the 'lpstrFilter' member in the OPENFILENAME structure points to\. Description of 'lpstrFilter' in MSDN: _LPCTSTR_ _A buffer containing pairs of null\-terminated filter strings\. The last string in the buffer must be terminated by two NULL characters\._ If you forget to write an additional null at the end, the dialogue of file handling may contain garbage in the filter fields\. This is the correct code: ```cpp lofn.lpstrFilter = uni("All Files (*.*)\0*.*\0"); ``` **Example 2\.** TortoiseSVN project\. Incorrect use of 'remove' function\. ```cpp STDMETHODIMP CShellExt::Initialize(....) { ... ignoredprops = UTF8ToWide(st.c_str()); // remove all escape chars ('\\') std::remove(ignoredprops.begin(), ignoredprops.end(), '\\'); break; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V530](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v530/) diagnostic: The return value of function 'remove' is required to be utilized\. contextmenu\.cpp 442 The std::remove function does not remove items from the container\. It only shifts the items and returns the iterator to the beginning of trash\. Assume we have a vector container that contains items 1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3\. If we execute the code "remove\( v\.begin\(\), v\.end\(\), 2 \)", the container will contain items 1,3,1,3,X,X,X, where X is some trash\. The function will return the iterator to the first trash item, so if we want to remove these trash items, we need to write the code: "v\.erase\(remove\(v\.begin\(\), v\.end\(\), 2\), v\.end\(\)\)"\. **Example 3\.** TortoiseSVN project\. Using 'empty' function instead of 'clear'\. ```cpp CMailMsg& CMailMsg::SetFrom(string sAddress, string sName) { if (initIfNeeded()) { // only one sender allowed if (m_from.size()) m_from.empty(); m_from.push_back(TStrStrPair(sAddress,sName)); } return *this; } ``` The error was found through the [V530](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v530/) diagnostic: The return value of function 'empty' is required to be utilized\. mailmsg\.cpp 40 The error here is this: the vector::empty\(\) function is called by mistake instead of vector::clear\(\), and the array's contents remain the same\. It is a very frequent error because the words 'clear' and 'empty' are rather close in meaning, and you might easily mix them up\. **Example 4\.** WinMerge project\. Using 'empty' function instead of 'clear'\. ```cpp void CDirView::GetItemFileNames(int sel, String& strLeft, String& strRight) const { UINT_PTR diffpos = GetItemKey(sel); if (diffpos == (UINT_PTR)SPECIAL_ITEM_POS) { strLeft.empty(); strRight.empty(); } else { ... } } ``` The error was found through the [V530](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v530/) diagnostic: The return value of function 'empty' is required to be utilized WinMerge DirActions\.cpp 1307, 1308 Again, the reason is in using the empty\(\) function instead of clear\(\)\. We could cite examples of such errors from other projects as well: InstantVNC, IPP Samples, Chromium, Intel AMT SDK, etc\. Unfortunately, all these samples are alike, and there is nothing interesting about examining them\. But trust me, you can see these defects in serious projects developed by professional programmers\. **Example 5\.** Pixie project\. Using 'alloca' function inside loops\. ```cpp inline void triangulatePolygon(...) { ... for (i=1;inodes[iad->nodes_allocated_size], (size_grow - iad->nodes_allocated_size) * sizeof(IMAGE_ARRAY_DATA_NODE), 0); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V575](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v575/) diagnostic: Function receives an odd argument\. clist\_modern modern\_image\_array\.cpp 59 The 'memset' function handles 0 items, i\.e\. actually does nothing\. The reason is in mixed up arguments\. This is how the correct call of the memset function should be written: ```cpp memset(&iad->nodes[iad->nodes_allocated_size], 0, (size_grow - iad->nodes_allocated_size) * sizeof(IMAGE_ARRAY_DATA_NODE)); ``` ### Examples of meaningless code **Example 1\.** IPP Samples project\. Incomplete condition\. ```cpp void lNormalizeVector_32f_P3IM(Ipp32f *vec[3], Ipp32s* mask, Ipp32s len) { Ipp32s i; Ipp32f norm; for(i=0; i 3 && pBytes[0] == 0xEF && pBytes[1] == 0xBB && pBytes[2] == 0xBF ) { pBytes += 3; nBytes -= 3; bBOM = true; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'pBytes \[ 0 \] \=\= 0xEF' is always false\. The value range of signed char type: \[\-128, 127\]\. Shareaza remote\.cpp 350 In this code, the 'TCHAR' type is the 'char' type\. The value range of char is from \-128 to 127 inclusive\. Value 0xEF in the variable of the char type is nothing else than number \-17\. When comparing the char variable with number 0xEF, its type is extended up to the 'int' type\. But the value still lies inside the range \[\-128\.\.127\]\. The "pBytes\[0\] \=\= 0xEF" \("\-17 \=\= 0xEF"\) condition is always false, and the program does not work as intended\. This is the correct comparison: ```cpp if ( nBytes > 3 && pBytes[0] == TCHAR(0xEF) && pBytes[1] == TCHAR(0xBB) && pBytes[2] == TCHAR(0xBF) ) ``` **Example 2\.** TortoiseSVN project\. Value range of char type\. ```cpp BOOL TortoiseBlame::OpenFile(const TCHAR *fileName) { ... // check each line for illegal utf8 sequences. // If one is found, we treat // the file as ASCII, otherwise we assume // an UTF8 file. char * utf8CheckBuf = lineptr; while ((bUTF8)&&(*utf8CheckBuf)) { if ((*utf8CheckBuf == 0xC0)|| (*utf8CheckBuf == 0xC1)|| (*utf8CheckBuf >= 0xF5)) { bUTF8 = false; break; } ... } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression '\* utf8CheckBuf \=\= 0xC0' is always false\. The value range of signed char type: \[\-128, 127\]\. tortoiseblame\.cpp 310 While the defect in the previous example seems to be caused through mere inattention, in this case it is not so\. Here is another identical example where a condition is always false\. This is a very widely\-spread type of errors in various projects\. **Example 3\.** VirtualDub project\. Unsigned type is always \>\= 0\. ```cpp typedef unsigned short wint_t; ... void lexungetc(wint_t c) { if (c < 0) return; g_backstack.push_back(c); } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'c < 0' is always false\. Unsigned type value is never < 0\. Ami lexer\.cpp 225 The "c < 0" condition is always false because the variable of the unsigned type is always above or equal to 0\. **Example 4\.** Swiss\-Army Knife of Trace project\. Socket handling\. ```cpp static UINT_PTR m_socketHandle; void TTrace::LoopMessages(void) { ... // Socket creation if ( (m_socketHandle = socket(AF_INET,SOCK_STREAM,0)) < 0) { continue; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression '\(m\_socketHandle \= socket \(2, 1, 0\)\) < 0' is always false\. Unsigned type value is never < 0\. Vs8\_Win\_Lib tracetool\.cpp 871 An attempt to check that a socket was created successfully is performed incorrectly\. If a socket cannot be created, this situation is not handled in any way\. To make the check work correctly, we should use the INVALID\_SOCKET constant: ```cpp m_socketHandle = socket(AF_INET,SOCK_STREAM,0); if (m_socketHandle == INVALID_SOCKET) ... ``` **Example 5\.** Chromium project\. Time handling\. ```cpp IdleState CalculateIdleState(...) { ... DWORD current_idle_time = 0; ... // Will go -ve if we have been idle for // a long time (2gb seconds). if (current_idle_time < 0) current_idle_time = INT_MAX; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'current\_idle\_time < 0' is always false\. Unsigned type value is never < 0\. browser idle\_win\.cc 23 To handle time, a variable of the unsigned type is used\. As a result, check of too large values does not work\. This is the correct code: ```cpp if (current_idle_time > INT_MAX) current_idle_time = INT_MAX; ``` **Example 6\.** ICU project\. Error in condition\. ```cpp U_CDECL_BEGIN static const char* U_CALLCONV _processVariableTop(...) { ... if(i == locElementCapacity && (*string != 0 || *string != '_')) { *status = U_BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERROR; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression '\*string \!\= 0 \|\| \*string \!\= '\_'' is always true\. Probably the '&&' operator should be used here\. icui18n ucol\_sit\.cpp 242 The condition contains a logical error\. The "\(\*string \!\= 0 \|\| \*string \!\= '\_'\)" subexpression is always true\. It is impossible that one and the same string character is not equal to 0 and '\_' at a time\. **Example 7\.** QT project\. Dangerous loop\. ```cpp bool equals( class1* val1, class2* val2 ) const{ { ... size_t size = val1->size(); ... while ( --size >= 0 ){ if ( !comp(*itr1,*itr2) ) return false; itr1++; itr2++; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression '\-\-size \>\= 0' is always true\. Unsigned type value is always \>\= 0\. QtCLucene arrays\.h 154 The \(\-\-size \>\= 0\) condition is always true, since the size variable has the unsigned type\. It means that if two sequences being compared are alike, we will get an overflow that will in its turn cause Access Violation or other program failures\. This is the correct code: ```cpp for (size_t i = 0; i != size; i++){ if ( !comp(*itr1,*itr2) ) return false; itr1++; itr2++; } ``` **Example 8\.** MySQL project\. Error in condition\. ```cpp enum enum_mysql_timestamp_type str_to_datetime(...) { ... else if (str[0] != 'a' || str[0] != 'A') continue; /* Not AM/PM */ ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'str \[0\] \!\= 'a' \|\| str \[0\] \!\= 'A'' is always true\. Probably the '&&' operator should be used here\. clientlib my\_time\.c 340 The condition is always true because the character is always either not equal to 'a' or to 'A'\. This is the correct check: ```cpp else if (str[0] != 'a' && str[0] != 'A') ``` **Example 9\.** QT project\. Incorrect count of references\. ```cpp STDMETHODIMP QEnumPins::QueryInterface(const IID &iid,void **out) { ... if (S_OK) AddRef(); return hr; } ``` The error was found through the [V545](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v545/) diagnostic: Such conditional expression of 'if' operator is incorrect for the HRESULT type value '\(HRESULT\) 0L'\. The SUCCEEDED or FAILED macro should be used instead\. phonon\_ds9 qbasefilter\.cpp 60 The check condition is represented by the S\_OK constant\. Since S\_OK is 0, the AddRef\(\) function will never be called\. This is how this check must look: if \(hr \=\= S\_OK\)\. **Example 10\.** TickerTape project\. Incorrect tornado\. ```cpp void GetWindAtSingleTornado(...) { ... if(radius < THRESH * 5) *yOut = THRESH * 10 / radius; else if (radius < THRESH * 5) *yOut = -3.0f / (THRESH * 5.0f) * (radius - THRESH * 5.0f) + 3.0f; else *yOut = 0.0f; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V517](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v517/) diagnostic: The use of 'if \(A\) \{\.\.\.\} else if \(A\) \{\.\.\.\}' pattern was detected\. There is a probability of logical error presence\. TickerTape wind\.cpp 118 The second condition is always false\. The reason is that the first condition coincides with the second\. There must be a misprint here\. **Example 11\.** Apache HTTP Server project\. Error of socket handling in Windows\. ```cpp typedef UINT_PTR SOCKET; static unsigned int __stdcall win9x_accept(void * dummy) { SOCKET csd; ... do { clen = sizeof(sa_client); csd = accept(nsd, (struct sockaddr *) &sa_client, &clen); } while (csd < 0 && APR_STATUS_IS_EINTR(apr_get_netos_error())); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'csd < 0' is always false\. Unsigned type value is never < 0\. libhttpd child\.c 404 Socket handling errors very often emerge in crossplatform programs built under Windows\. In Linux, socket descriptors are represented by the signed type, while in Windows it is the unsigned type\. Programmers often forget about this and check the error status by comparing the value to 0\. This is incorrect; you must use specialized constants\. **Example 12\.** QT project\. Misprint in comparisons\. ```cpp QStringList ProFileEvaluator::Private::values(...) { ... else if (ver == QSysInfo::WV_NT) ret = QLatin1String("WinNT"); else if (ver == QSysInfo::WV_2000) ret = QLatin1String("Win2000"); else if (ver == QSysInfo::WV_2000) <<-- ret = QLatin1String("Win2003"); else if (ver == QSysInfo::WV_XP) ret = QLatin1String("WinXP"); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V517](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v517/) diagnostic: The use of 'if \(A\) \{\.\.\.\} else if \(A\) \{\.\.\.\}' pattern was detected\. There is a probability of logical error presence\. Check lines: 2303, 2305\. lrelease profileevaluator\.cpp 2303 In the string we have marked, there must be the text "ver \=\= QSysInfo::WV\_2003"\. Because of this error, the "ret \= QLatin1String\("Win2003"\)" statement will never be executed\. ### Code vulnerabilities Of course, errors leading to code vulnerabilities are actually misprints, incorrect conditions and incorrect array handling\. But we decided to single out certain errors into a separate group because they relate to the notion of software vulnerabilities\. An intruder, using such errors, can try to disturb program operation, perform an attack to gain extended rights or carry out any other actions he/she needs\. **Example 1\.** Ultimate TCP/IP project\. Incorrect check of an empty string\. ```cpp char *CUT_CramMd5::GetClientResponse(LPCSTR ServerChallenge) { ... if (m_szPassword != NULL) { ... if (m_szPassword != '\0') { ... } ``` The error was found through the [V528](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v528/) diagnostic: It is odd that pointer to 'char' type is compared with the '\\0' value\. Probably meant: \*m\_szPassword \!\= '\\0'\. UTMail ut\_crammd5\.cpp 333 This code fragment must check that the pointer to the password is not equal to NULL and that the string is not empty\. But instead, the code checks twice that the pointer is not equal to NULL\. The check of the string does not work\. The "if \(m\_szPassword \!\= '\\0'\)" condition was intended to check that there is a terminal null in the very beginning of the string, which means that the string is empty\. But a pointer dereferencing operation is missing here, and it is the pointer itself which is compared to zero\. This is the correct code: ```cpp if (m_szPassword != NULL) { ... if (*m_szPassword != '\0') ``` **Example 2\.** Chromium project\. Null pointer handling\. ```cpp bool ChromeFrameNPAPI::Invoke(...) { ChromeFrameNPAPI* plugin_instance = ChromeFrameInstanceFromNPObject(header); if (!plugin_instance && (plugin_instance->automation_client_.get())) return false; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V522](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v522/) diagnostic: Dereferencing of the null pointer 'plugin\_instance' might take place\. Check the logical condition\. chrome\_frame\_npapi chrome\_frame\_npapi\.cc 517 The condition that checks the null pointer is written incorrectly\. As a result, we have a [segmentation error](https://pvs-studio.com/en/blog/terms/0063/)\. This is the correct code: ```cpp if (plugin_instance && (plugin_instance->automation_client_.get())) return false; ``` **Example 3\.** SMTP Client with SSL/TLS project\. Incomplete buffer clearing\. ```cpp void MD5::finalize () { ... uint1 buffer[64]; ... // Zeroize sensitive information memset (buffer, 0, sizeof(*buffer)); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V512](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v512/) diagnostic: A call of the 'memset' function will lead to a buffer overflow or underflow\. CSmtp md5\.cpp 212 For security purposes, the function tries to clear the buffer containing sensitive information\. But it fails\. Only the first byte will be cleared in the buffer\. The error is this: the 'sizeof' operator calculates the size of the 'uint1' type instead of buffer\. This is the correct code: ```cpp memset (buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer)); ``` Generally, errors of incomplete memory clearing are rather frequent\. Consider some other cases like this\. **Example 4\.** Chromium\. Incomplete buffer clearing\. ```cpp void Time::Explode(..., Exploded* exploded) const { ... ZeroMemory(exploded, sizeof(exploded)); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V512](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v512/) diagnostic: A call of the 'memset' function will lead to underflow of the buffer '\(exploded\)'\. base time\_win\.cc 227 The ZeroMemory function clears only part of the Exploded structure\. The reason is that the 'sizeof' operator returns the pointer size\. To fix the error, we must dereference the pointer: ```cpp ZeroMemory(exploded, sizeof(*exploded)); ``` **Example 5\.** Apache HTTP Server project\. Incomplete buffer clearing\. ```cpp #define MEMSET_BZERO(p,l) memset((p), 0, (l)) void apr__SHA256_Final(..., SHA256_CTX* context) { ... MEMSET_BZERO(context, sizeof(context)); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V512](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v512/) diagnostic: A call of the 'memset' function will lead to underflow of the buffer '\(context\)'\. apr sha2\.c 560 The error is completely identical to the previous one\. The 'sizeof' operator calculates the pointer size\. To fix it, we must write: "sizeof\(\*context\)"\. **Example 6\.** Miranda IM project\. Incorrect string handling\. ```cpp static char *_skipblank(char * str) { char * endstr=str+strlen(str); while ((*str==' ' || *str=='\t') && str!='\0') str++; while ((*endstr==' ' || *endstr=='\t') && endstr!='\0' && endstr 79) { png_warning(png_ptr, "keyword length must be 1 - 79 characters"); new_key[79] = '\0'; key_len = 79; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V527](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v527/) diagnostic: It is odd that the '\\0' value is assigned to 'char' type pointer\. Probably meant: \*new\_key \[79\] \= '\\0'\. graphics3D pngwutil\.c 1283 This sample demonstrates a mistake when the programmer accidentally clears the pointer instead of truncating the string length\. The point is that 'new\_key' is a pointer to a string\. And it means that we should write our code as follows to truncate it to 79 characters: ```cpp (*new_key)[79] = '\0'; ``` **Example 8\.** Intel AMT SDK project\. Unverified user name\. ```cpp static void wsman_set_subscribe_options(...) { ... if (options->delivery_certificatethumbprint || options->delivery_password || options->delivery_password) { ... } ``` The error was found through the [V501](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v501/) diagnostic: There are identical sub\-expressions 'options\-\>delivery\_password' to the left and to the right of the '\|\|' operator\. OpenWsmanLib wsman\-client\.c 631 Because of the developer's inattention, presence of password is checked twice, while presence of user name is not checked at all\. This is the correct code: ```cpp if (options->delivery_certificatethumbprint || options->delivery_username || options->delivery_password) { ``` **Example 9\.** Ultimate TCP/IP project\. Incorrect handling of empty strings\. ```cpp void CUT_StrMethods::RemoveCRLF(LPSTR buf) { // v4.2 changed to size_t size_t len, indx = 1; if(buf != NULL){ len = strlen(buf); while((len - indx) >= 0 && indx <= 2) { if(buf[len - indx] == '\r' || buf[len - indx] == '\n') buf[len - indx] = 0; ++indx; } } } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression '\(len \- indx\) \>\= 0' is always true\. Unsigned type value is always \>\= 0\. UTDns utstrlst\.cpp 58 The "len \- indx" expression has the unsigned type 'size\_t' and is always \>\= 0\. Let's look what it will result in, if we send an empty string to the input\. If the string is empty, then: len \= 0, indx \= 1\. The len \- indx expression is equal to 0xFFFFFFFFu\. Since 0xFFFFFFFFu \> 0 and indx <\= 2, an array access is performed "buf\[len \- indx\]"\. The "buf\[0xFFFFFFFFu\]" operation will cause Access Violation\. **Example 10\.** Miranda IM project\. Underflow protection does not work\. ```cpp void Append( PCXSTR pszSrc, int nLength ) { ... UINT nOldLength = GetLength(); if (nOldLength < 0) { // protects from underflow nOldLength = 0; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'nOldLength < 0' is always false\. Unsigned type value is never < 0\. IRC mstring\.h 229 The check "if \(nOldLength < 0\)" does not work since the nOldLength variable has the unsigned type\. **Example 11\.** Apache HTTP Server project\. Incorrect handling of negative values\. ```cpp typedef size_t apr_size_t; APU_DECLARE(apr_status_t) apr_memcache_getp(...) { ... apr_size_t len = 0; ... len = atoi(length); ... if (len < 0) { *new_length = 0; *baton = NULL; } else { ... } } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'len < 0' is always false\. Unsigned type value is never < 0\. aprutil apr\_memcache\.c 814 The check "if \(len < 0\)" does not work because the 'len' variable has the unsigned type\. **Example 12\.** Ultimate TCP/IP project\. Incorrect condition of loop termination\. ```cpp void CUT_StrMethods::RemoveSpaces(LPSTR szString) { ... size_t loop, len = strlen(szString); // Remove the trailing spaces for(loop = (len-1); loop >= 0; loop--) { if(szString[loop] != ' ') break; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V547](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v547/) diagnostic: Expression 'loop \>\= 0' is always true\. Unsigned type value is always \>\= 0\. UTDns utstrlst\.cpp 430 Suppose the whole string consists only of spaces\. While searching the characters, the program will reach the null item of the string, and the 'loop' variable will equal to zero\. Then it will be decremented once again\. Since this variable is of unsigned type, its value will be 0xFFFFFFFFu or 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFu \(depending on the architecture\)\. This value is 'naturally \>\= 0', and a new loop iteration will start\. There will be an attempt of memory access by szString\[0xFFFFFFFFu\] address \- the consequences of this are familiar to every C/C\+\+ programmer\. ### Copy\-Paste Developers should not also underestimate Copy\-Paste errors as well as common misprints\. They are very\-very numerous\. Programmers spend much time on debugging them\. Of course, misprints and Copy\-Paste errors are similar, but there is a difference between them that caused us to place them into different groups in this article\. Misprints often result in using a wrong variable instead of the needed one\. And in the case of copy\-paste, programmers simply forget to edit copied and pasted lines\. **Example 1\.** Fennec Media Project project\. Mistake while handling array items\. ```cpp void* tag_write_setframe(char *tmem, const char *tid, const string dstr) { ... if(lset) { fhead[11] = '\0'; fhead[12] = '\0'; fhead[13] = '\0'; fhead[13] = '\0'; } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V525](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v525/) diagnostic: The code containing the collection of similar blocks\. Check items '11', '12', '13', '13' in lines 716, 717, 718, 719\. id3 editor\.c 716 The four similar lines must have appeared in the code through the copy\-paste method\. When the programmer started editing the indexes, he/she made a mistake that causes zero to be written into 'fhead\[13\] ' twice and not be written into 'fhead\[14\] '\. **Example 2\.** MySQL project\. Mistake while handling array items\. ```cpp static int rr_cmp(uchar *a,uchar *b) { if (a[0] != b[0]) return (int) a[0] - (int) b[0]; if (a[1] != b[1]) return (int) a[1] - (int) b[1]; if (a[2] != b[2]) return (int) a[2] - (int) b[2]; if (a[3] != b[3]) return (int) a[3] - (int) b[3]; if (a[4] != b[4]) return (int) a[4] - (int) b[4]; if (a[5] != b[5]) return (int) a[1] - (int) b[5]; if (a[6] != b[6]) return (int) a[6] - (int) b[6]; return (int) a[7] - (int) b[7]; } ``` The error was found through the [V525](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v525/) diagnostic: The code containing the collection of similar blocks\. Check items '0', '1', '2', '3', '4', '1', '6' in lines 680, 682, 684, 689, 691, 693, 695\. sql records\.cc 680 It is not apparent at first sight, so let's single it out: ```cpp return (int) a[1] - (int) b[5]; ``` Actually there must be the following code: ```cpp return (int) a[5] - (int) b[5]; ``` **Example 3\.** TortoiseSVN project\. File name not corrected\. ```cpp BOOL GetImageHlpVersion(DWORD &dwMS, DWORD &dwLS) { return(GetInMemoryFileVersion(("DBGHELP.DLL"), dwMS, dwLS)) ; } BOOL GetDbgHelpVersion(DWORD &dwMS, DWORD &dwLS) { return(GetInMemoryFileVersion(("DBGHELP.DLL"), dwMS, dwLS)) ; } ``` The error was found through the [V524](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v524/) diagnostic: It is odd that the 'GetDbgHelpVersion' function is fully equivalent to the 'GetImageHlpVersion' function \(SymbolEngine\.h, line 98\)\. symbolengine\.h 105 The 'GetImageHlpVersion' function must have appeared through copying and pasting the 'GetInMemoryFileVersion' function\. The error is this: the programmer forgot to fix the file name in the copied and pasted function\. This is the correct code: ```cpp BOOL GetImageHlpVersion(DWORD &dwMS, DWORD &dwLS) { return(GetInMemoryFileVersion(("IMAGEHLP.DLL"), dwMS, dwLS)) ; } ``` **Example 4\.** Clang project\. Identical function bodies\. ```cpp MapTy PerPtrTopDown; MapTy PerPtrBottomUp; void clearBottomUpPointers() { PerPtrTopDown.clear(); } void clearTopDownPointers() { PerPtrTopDown.clear(); } ``` The error was found through the [V524](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v524/) diagnostic: It is odd that the body of 'clearTopDownPointers' function is fully equivalent to the body of 'clearBottomUpPointers' function \(ObjCARC\.cpp, line 1318\)\. LLVMScalarOpts objcarc\.cpp 1322 The body of the clearBottomUpPointers function seems to be incorrect; this function should be written as follows: ```cpp void clearBottomUpPointers() { PerPtrBottomUp.clear(); } ``` **Example 5\.** QT\. Unsuccessful swap\. ```cpp bool qt_testCollision(...) { ... t=x1; x1=x2; x2=t; t=y1; x1=y2; y2=t; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V519](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v519/) diagnostic: The 'x1' variable is assigned values twice successively\. Perhaps this is a mistake\. Check lines: 2218, 2219\. Qt3Support q3canvas\.cpp 2219 The first line is absolutely correct and swaps values in the x1 and x2 variables\. In the second line, variables y1 and y2 must be swapped\. This line is probably a copy of the previous one\. All the 'x' letters must be replaced with letters 'y'\. Unfortunately, the programmer forgot to do that in one place: "\.\.\. x1\=y2; \.\.\."\. Correct code: ```cpp t=x1; x1=x2; x2=t; t=y1; y1=y2; y2=t; ``` **Example 6\.** Crystal Space 3D SDK project\. Identical subexpressions\. ```cpp inline_ bool Contains(const LSS& lss) { return Contains(Sphere(lss.mP0, lss.mRadius)) && Contains(Sphere(lss.mP0, lss.mRadius)); } ``` The error was found through the [V501](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v501/) diagnostic: There are identical sub\-expressions to the left and to the right of the '&&' operator\. plgcsopcode icelss\.h 69 The error is this: the 'lss\.mP0\.' variable is used twice here\. There must be 'lss\.mP1' in the first part of the expression\. **Example 7\.** Notepad\+\+ project\. Setting an incorrect style\. ```cpp void KeyWordsStyleDialog::updateDlg() { ... Style & w1Style = _pUserLang->_styleArray.getStyler(STYLE_WORD1_INDEX); styleUpdate(w1Style, _pFgColour[0], _pBgColour[0], IDC_KEYWORD1_FONT_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD1_FONTSIZE_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD1_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD1_ITALIC_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD1_UNDERLINE_CHECK); Style & w2Style = _pUserLang->_styleArray.getStyler(STYLE_WORD2_INDEX); styleUpdate(w2Style, _pFgColour[1], _pBgColour[1], IDC_KEYWORD2_FONT_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD2_FONTSIZE_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD2_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD2_ITALIC_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD2_UNDERLINE_CHECK); Style & w3Style = _pUserLang->_styleArray.getStyler(STYLE_WORD3_INDEX); styleUpdate(w3Style, _pFgColour[2], _pBgColour[2], IDC_KEYWORD3_FONT_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD3_FONTSIZE_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD3_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD3_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD3_UNDERLINE_CHECK); Style & w4Style = _pUserLang->_styleArray.getStyler(STYLE_WORD4_INDEX); styleUpdate(w4Style, _pFgColour[3], _pBgColour[3], IDC_KEYWORD4_FONT_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD4_FONTSIZE_COMBO, IDC_KEYWORD4_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD4_ITALIC_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD4_UNDERLINE_CHECK); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V525](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v525/) diagnostic: The code containing the collection of similar blocks\. Check items '7', '7', '6', '7' in lines 576, 580, 584, 588 It is almost unreal to find this error by sight, so let's abridge the text to single out the most interesting fragments: ```cpp styleUpdate(... IDC_KEYWORD1_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD1_ITALIC_CHECK, ...); styleUpdate(... IDC_KEYWORD2_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD2_ITALIC_CHECK, ...); styleUpdate(... IDC_KEYWORD3_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD3_BOLD_CHECK, <<-- ...); styleUpdate(... IDC_KEYWORD4_BOLD_CHECK, IDC_KEYWORD4_ITALIC_CHECK, ...); ``` By mistake, IDC\_KEYWORD3\_BOLD\_CHECK is used instead of IDC\_KEYWORD3\_ITALIC\_CHECK\. **Example 8\.** ReactOS object\. Choosing a wrong object\. ```cpp void CardButton::DrawRect(HDC hdc, RECT *rect, bool fNormal) { ... HPEN hhi = CreatePen(0, 0, MAKE_PALETTERGB(crHighlight)); HPEN hsh = CreatePen(0, 0, MAKE_PALETTERGB(crShadow)); ... if(fNormal) hOld = SelectObject(hdc, hhi); else hOld = SelectObject(hdc, hhi); ... } ``` The error was found through the [V523](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v523/) diagnostic: The 'then' statement is equivalent to the 'else' statement\. cardlib cardbutton\.cpp 83 The 'hsh' object is not used, while 'hhi' is used twice\. This is the correct code: ```cpp if(fNormal) hOld = SelectObject(hdc, hhi); else hOld = SelectObject(hdc, hsh); ``` **Example 9\.** IPP Samples project\. Incorrect check\. ```cpp Status VC1VideoDecoder::ResizeBuffer() { ... if(m_pContext && m_pContext->m_seqLayerHeader && m_pContext->m_seqLayerHeader->heightMB && m_pContext->m_seqLayerHeader->heightMB) ... } ``` The error was found through the [V501](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v501/) diagnostic: There are identical sub\-expressions 'm\_pContext\-\>m\_seqLayerHeader\-\>heightMB' to the left and to the right of the '&&' operator\. vc1\_dec umc\_vc1\_video\_decoder\.cpp 1347 Correct code: ```cpp if(m_pContext && m_pContext->m_seqLayerHeader && m_pContext->m_seqLayerHeader->heightMB && m_pContext->m_seqLayerHeader->widthMB) ``` **Example 10\.** ReactOS project\. Mistake in a variable name\. ```cpp BOOL APIENTRY GreStretchBltMask(...) { ... MaskPoint.x += DCMask->ptlDCOrig.x; MaskPoint.y += DCMask->ptlDCOrig.x; ... } ``` The error was found through the [V537](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v537/) diagnostic: Consider reviewing the correctness of 'x' item's usage\. win32k bitblt\.c 670 This is a very good example where you can see that a line was copied and pasted\. After that, the programmer fixed the first name 'x' but forgot to fix the second\. This is the correct code: ```cpp MaskPoint.x += DCMask->ptlDCOrig.x; MaskPoint.y += DCMask->ptlDCOrig.y; ``` ### Miscellaneous **Example 1\.** Image Processing SDK project\. Octal number\. ```cpp inline void elxLuminocity(const PixelRGBus& iPixel, LuminanceCell< PixelRGBus >& oCell) { oCell._luminance = uint16(0.2220f*iPixel._red + 0.7067f*iPixel._blue + 0.0713f*iPixel._green); oCell._pixel = iPixel; } inline void elxLuminocity(const PixelRGBi& iPixel, LuminanceCell< PixelRGBi >& oCell) { oCell._luminance = 2220*iPixel._red + 7067*iPixel._blue + 0713*iPixel._green; oCell._pixel = iPixel; } ``` The error was found through the [V536](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v536/) diagnostic: Be advised that the utilized constant value is represented by an octal form\. Oct: 0713, Dec: 459\. IFF plugins pixelservices\.inl 146 If you examine the second function, you will see that the programmer intended to use number 713, not 0713\. Number 0713 is declared in the octal numeral system\. You can easily forget about it if you seldom use octal constants\. **Example 2\.** IPP Samples project\. One variable for two loops\. ```cpp JERRCODE CJPEGDecoder::DecodeScanBaselineNI(void) { ... for(c = 0; c < m_scan_ncomps; c++) { block = m_block_buffer + (DCTSIZE2*m_nblock*(j+(i*m_numxMCU))); // skip any relevant components for(c = 0; c < m_ccomp[m_curr_comp_no].m_comp_no; c++) { block += (DCTSIZE2*m_ccomp[c].m_nblocks); } ... } ``` The error was found through the [V535](https://pvs-studio.com/en/docs/warnings/v535/) diagnostic: The variable 'c' is being used for this loop and for the outer loop\. jpegcodec jpegdec\.cpp 4652 One and the same variable is used for the outer loop and the inner loop\. As a result, this code will handle only part of the data or cause an eternal loop\. ## Conclusions The conclusion is simple: [buy](https://pvs-studio.com/en/order/) PVS\-Studio\! ## References 1. [PVS\-Studio Main Product Page](https://pvs-studio.com/en/pvs-studio/)\. 1. [Download the trial version of PVS\-Studio](https://pvs-studio.com/en/pvs-studio/download/)\. 1. 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