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<concept id="GUID-7DDEE87B-7056-5AAA-91A1-33D3D0D50041" xml:lang="en"><title>Array

of packed elements, flat array</title><shortdesc>Describes arrays of packed elements in a flat.</shortdesc><prolog><metadata><keywords/></metadata></prolog><conbody>

<p>This is a <codeph>CArrayPakFlat&lt;class T&gt;</codeph> object whose

elements can have different lengths but are physically contiguous within a

flat array buffer. Each element is preceded by a <codeph>TInt</codeph> value

to record the length of that element.</p>

<p>A flat buffer always occupies a single cell allocated from the heap and

is always extended by the process of reallocation. A flat array buffer is

implemented using a <codeph>CBufFlat</codeph> object. </p>

<p>The following diagram illustrates how elements are organised within the

array buffer:</p>

<fig id="GUID-C36AFFF1-3BE7-5AF3-B852-B1AB3BBA257D">

<image href="GUID-2472E5E0-C33A-51B4-8210-89D7DEFA87C8_d0e307761_href.png" placement="inline"/>

</fig>

<p>This kind of array is suitable for a small number of objects or for a moderately

large but fixed maximum number of objects. It is not suitable for large arrays

with a high turnover of elements. </p>

<p>A packed array has the advantage over a variable flat array in having a

smaller memory overhead for each element. The disadvantage is that the elements

and their preceding <codeph>TInt</codeph> values occupy a single cell which

has a higher risk of reallocation failure in times of low memory availability.</p>

<p>This class is immediately derived from the abstract template

base class <codeph>CArrayPak&lt;class T&gt;</codeph> which is itself derived

from the abstract non-templated base class <codeph>CArrayPakBase</codeph>.</p>

<section id="GUID-0758EE5B-5846-4ABD-B2E5-DA2C0AD57032"><title>See also</title> <p><xref href="GUID-112AAFA5-B4C9-5B62-A106-FB5097C13A0E.dita">Using

Dynamic Buffers</xref>.</p> </section>