How to copy values from safearray to vector?

Question

I have a call returning safearray of BSTR. I want to copy it to a vector<LPOLESTR>. What is the correct way to do it? How is the memory handled in this case?

Answer 1

Assuming you want vector<wstring> after all, per discussion in comments, something like this:

SAFEARRAY* sa;  // a safearray of BSTR, initialized somehow.

LONG lBound, uBound;
SafeArrayGetLBound(sa, 1, &lBound);
SafeArrayGetUBound(sa, 1, &uBound);
LONG count = uBound - lBound + 1;  // bounds are inclusive

BSTR* raw;
SafeArrayAccessData(sa, (void**)&raw);

vector<wstring> v(raw, raw + count);
// or, if you want to assign to an existing vector
vector<wstring> v;
v.assign(raw, raw + count);

// When no longer need "raw".
SafeArrayUnaccessData(sa);

Error handling is left as an exercise for the reader.