quick start

#define POOLARRAY_IMPL

One source file in your project (only one) must define this to include the actual code for the functions.

assuming you have an array of struct

typedef struct testItem {
int ttl; // time to live
int id;
} testItem;

first initialise the pool

PoolArray pool; // the pool to manage the array
testItem items[poolSize]; // the array we're managing
// you MUST check the return value
if (!PoolArrayInit(&pool, &items, sizeof(testItem), poolSize)) {
printf("unable to initialise pool array\n");
return -1;
}

When you need to use an item in the pool

testItem* it = PoolArrayGetNextItem(&pool);
if (it == NULL) {
printf("!!!! Pool used up couldn't grab a new item\n");
} else {
// set up the new item...
}

when you need to update your active item in the pool you can use a simple for loop

for(PoolArrayNode* node = pool.activeList; node; node = node->next) {
testItem* item = (testItem*)node->userData;
...
}

however if you need to retire a node within a loop you must first find out the next node...

PoolArrayNode* node = pool.activeList;
while( node ) {
// update the item
testItem* item = (testItem*)node->userData;
PoolArrayNode* nextNode = node->next;
...
if (checkItem(item)) {
PoolArrayRetireNode(&pool, node);
}
node = nextNode;
}

don't forget to destroy the pool when you have finished with it...