Code changes

After a second look at the array CAtlArray implementation, I'm planning to change all the containers from value to pointer (instead of CAtlArray, I will change this to CAtlArray). The reason is quite simple: when growing the buffer through Add, the existing items are moved to the new buffer with a simple Checked::memmove_s call. The contained class copy constructor is not called which may lead to memory leaks (depending on the contained class implementation). If the array merely contains pointers, everything works as expected and all memory relocations will be much faster (only the pointers are copied, not the objects themselves). The downsidr to this approach is that I will have to manually implement the code to release all the objects pointed to by the array.

Finally, don't miss this great post on the Windows Mobile Team Blog: Uninstalling Applications Programmatically in Windows Mobile.

ATL ASSERT on exit

If you tried the sample code I posted yesterday, you might have seen an elusive ATLASSERT dialog box (in Debug mode, of course). When the assertion fires, it happens when the application is closing and the dialog box is very briefly displayed and then closes. You never get to see what caused the assertion in the first place nor do you get a chance to break into the debugger.

To handle this situation, I changed the ATLASSERT macro definition the following way:

extern void AssertBreakpoint();
#define ATLASSERT(expr) { if(!(expr)) AssertBreakpoint(); \
_ASSERTE(expr); }

When the assertion is triggered, the code first calls the AssertBreakpoint function that is there just for you to place a debugger breakpoint. I implemented it with the following rocket-science code:

void AssertBreakpoint() { int a = 3; }

Now you can run the application and you will be sure that you know where the assertion fired. Why? When the debugger stops on your breakpoint you can immediately check the stack and look at the offending code. In my case the assertion was being fired in the CSlideFormView::PreTranslateMessage method. The form view HWND was already destroyed when the

return CWindow::IsDialogMessage(pMsg);

line was executed and this function validates m_hWnd in debug mode.

So if you find yourself in such a situation, use this technique because by defining your own version of ATLASSERT you essentially "infect" all the ATL and WTL code with your custom implementation. All your ATLASSERT are belong to me.