[Haytil]

Hello,

What is the limit on 2D char arrays (arrays of strings) in sourcemod? How can this limit be changed?

I found that declaring a static array of 2000 16-char strings (~32 KB) causes run-time failure, but 1000 16-char strings works (~16 KB). This seems odd to me - 32 KB is really not very much.

Example code:

Plugin 1 (compiles and works):

PHP Code:


#include <sourcemod>

public Plugin myinfo =
{
    name = "Array_Test_1",
    author = "Haytil",
    description = "Demonstrates success/failure of large 2D arrays..",
    version = "1.0",
    url = "http://www.sourcemod.net"
};

public void OnPluginStart()
{
    PrintToServer("Starting Array Test 1 plugin...");

    RegAdminCmd("test_command", Test_Command, ADMFLAG_KICK, "Tests calling a sub-function which declares a 2D array.");
}

public void Update_Database(int i_Client, int i_Output_Level)
{
    char temp_ids[1000][16];
}

public Action Test_Command(int client, int args)
{
    Update_Database(client, 1);

    return Plugin_Handled;
} 


Plugin 2 (compiles but does NOT work):

PHP Code:


#include <sourcemod>

public Plugin myinfo =
{
    name = "Array_Test_2",
    author = "Haytil",
    description = "Demonstrates success/failure of large 2D arrays..",
    version = "1.0",
    url = "http://www.sourcemod.net"
};

public void OnPluginStart()
{
    PrintToServer("Starting Array Test 2 plugin...");

    RegAdminCmd("test_command", Test_Command, ADMFLAG_KICK, "Tests calling a sub-function which declares a 2D array.");
}

public void Update_Database(int i_Client, int i_Output_Level)
{
    char temp_ids[2000][16];
}

public Action Test_Command(int client, int args)
{
    Update_Database(client, 1);

    return Plugin_Handled;
} 


When I run the above plugin, I get the following error in console:

[SM] Exception reported: Instruction contained invalid parameter



How can I avoid this, if I want to handle a large number of strings?

[Fyren]

The error reporting is really poor here (and also late). The problem is actually that plugins have a stack/heap size of 16k by default; the compiler output says what it is. The code that generates the local array trips a check involving it. We can probably have this error on compile with a better message.

I think you can either make the array global or use #pragma dynamic <size> to set a higher size.

[klippy]

Won't making it static work just as fine?

[Fyren]

Probably. The only difference with global would be scoping.

[Haytil]

Originally Posted by Fyren The error reporting is really poor here (and also late). The problem is actually that plugins have a stack/heap size of 16k by default; the compiler output says what it is. The code that generates the local array trips a check involving it. We can probably have this error on compile with a better message.

Yes, there was literally no error or warning on compile (I used the web compiler), so no reason at all to believe there was a problem until I ran it. Definitely needs a fix.

I think you can either make the array global or use #pragma dynamic <size> to set a higher size.

-Would making the array global within the plugin really make a difference? If the heap is limited to 16k per plugin, by default, then the plugin would still be using too much memory, just globally...

-Do you have a link to any documentation about that pragma? I assume <size> is in bytes...

[Fyren]

Global arrays are static and don't live in what we call the stack/heap.

There might be some tiny bit of documentation in the upstream Pawn stuff, but I don't know.

The size you give for the pragma is in cells, though I think the compiler output reports it in bytes. There's four bytes to a cell.