Can I call functions that take an array/pointer argument using a std::vector instead?

arrays, c++, pointers, stl, vector

Solution

Yes, The elements of a vector are assured to be contiguous similar to an array.

Reference:

C++03 Standard: [lib.vector] 23.2.4 Class template vector

...... The elements of a vector are stored contiguously, meaning that if `v` is a `vector<T, Allocator>` where `T` is some type other than `bool`, then it obeys the identity `&v[n] == &v[0] + n` for all `0 <= n < v.size()`

Problem

I want to rewrite some code that uses a lot of `unsigned char` arrays, to instead make use of `std::vector<unsigned char>` objects. The problem I have is that these are currently used to store the data that will be written to either a serial port or socket write buffer and the library functions to do this take either `void*` or `unsigned char*` . An example of such a function is ``` WriteToSocketBuffer(unsigned char* pBuffer, int iSize); ``` so currently I have code of the form ``` unsigned char* pArray = new unsigned char[iSize]; // populate array with data WriteToSocketBuffer(pArray,iSize); delete [] pArray; ``` My question is the following: If I change my class to have a `std::vector<unsigned char>` instead of a raw array can I simply call my library function using ``` std::vector<unsigned char> myVector; WriteToSocketBuffer(&myVector[0],myVector.size()); ``` Does passing the address of the first element in the vector act in the same was as passing in the address of the first element in a raw array. Is it this simple?

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