how do i access an array returned as a pointer from a function using a subscript?

Question

I have created a function that returns a pointer to an array of strings. The function should traverse a linked list and it should assign the data from each node into an array of string. Here is my function:

//function to traverse every node in the list
string *DynStrStk::nodeStrings(int count)
{
    StackNode *nodePtr = nullptr;
    StackNode *nextNode = nullptr;
    int i = 0;

    //Position nodePtr at the top of the stack
    nodePtr = top;

    string *arr = new string[count];

    //Traverse the list and delete each node
    while(nodePtr != nullptr && i < count)
    {
        nextNode = nodePtr->next;
        arr[i] = nodePtr->newString;
        nodePtr = nextNode;

        cout << "test1: " << arr[i] << endl;
    }

    return arr;
}

i want to use that pointer to the array returned by the function above, and i want to assign it to a new array in a different function where it will test each subscript in that array for a condition.

i am having trouble accessing the new array and i can't even print out the string in each new array element.

arr = stringStk.nodeStrings(count);
cout << "pointer to arr of str: " << *arr << endl;
for(int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
    cout << "test2: " << arr[i] << endl;
}

this is my output after calling both functions:

test1: rotor
test1: rotator
test1: racecar
test1: racecar
pointer to arr of str: racecar //this test tells me i can get to array
test2: racecar
test2: 
test2: 
test2:

this is my expected output

test1: rotor
test1: rotator
test1: racecar
test1: racecar
pointer to arr of str: racecar
test2: racecar
test2: racecar
test2: rotator
test2: rotor

what am i doing wrong and how can i access each element in the new array from the second function??????

thanks!!!!

here is the second function using the pointer to the array:

int createStack(fstream &normFile, ostream &outFile)
{
    string catchNewString;
    string testString, revString;

    string *arr;

    int count = 0; //counts the number of items in the stack

    DynStrStk stringStk;

    while(getline(normFile,catchNewString)) // read and push to stack
    {
        stringStk.push(catchNewString); // push to stack
        //tracer rounds
        outFile << catchNewString << endl;
        count++;

    }


    arr = stringStk.nodeStrings(count);

    cout << "pointer to arr of str: " << *arr << endl;

    for(int i = 0; i < count; i++)
    {

        cout << "test2: " << (arr[i]) << endl;
    }

    return count;
}

Answer 1

You forgot to increment i in the function DynStrStk::nodeStrings. Therefore all your assignments are to arr[0].