[vox-tech] Got a memory leak. Ugh!

[Brian Lavender]

So, I am working on my MS Project. It's a genetic algorithm to train
rules to identify network attacks. This was supposed to be an easy
project!!!

Unfortunately, it leaks memory, which is not such a good thing especially
when you want to run something over perhaps thousands of iterations. Well,
I guess 1 byte times 1 thousand is 1 kilobyte. The problem seems to
occur when I copy pointers to three random individuals into a temporary
array and grab the two strongest individuals from that array. I believe
the leak occurs between the ==AAA== markings in the code.  I know most
people don't want to go pouring through a bunch of tangled logic, so I
tried to isolate the problem.

Any ideas why it leaks? Or, any suggestions? 

brian

{{{
#include <glib.h>

// Put in the memory tracking code here. Only tells at exit though!

g_mem_set_vtable(glib_mem_profiler_table);
g_atexit(g_mem_profile);

// I have an array that has a thousand items in it. I am three random elements into 
a temporary array. All the original elements are already in 

// This is the source population array.
popSrc = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func(destroyInd);

for (i=0; i<1000; i++) {
  trainer = makeRandInd();
  g_ptr_array_add(popSrc, trainer);
}

// Now I create a destination population array.
popDest = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func(destroyInd);


// Loop that does the genetic algorithm
// Start loop

     // pick 3 random individuals from the source. and take the strongest two.
    // Memory leak occurs between starting here ==AAA==
     threeRand = g_ptr_array_new();
     for (i=0; i< 3 ;i++) {
	j = g_random_int_range(0, nPop);
	trainer = g_ptr_array_index(popSrc, j);
	g_ptr_array_add(threeRand, trainer);
      }

      g_ptr_array_sort(threeRand, sort_function);

      // fitness goes lowest to highest (0,1,2). Thus elements 1 and 2
      parent1 = g_ptr_array_index(threeRand, 1);
      parent2 = g_ptr_array_index(threeRand, 2);

      g_ptr_array_free(threeRand, FALSE);
      // And Memory leak suspect are here ===AAA==

     // crossover
     // mutate
     // Add two new children to destination array
// Repeat loop until new population created.
}}}
-- 
Brian Lavender
http://www.brie.com/brian/

"Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it." 
- Winston Churchill