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10 Arrays

Arrays allow storing a sequence of elements of the same type. There are two types of arrays - static and dynamic. Static arrays have a fixed size defined during declaration, while dynamic arrays can have their size modified. Arrays can be initialized during declaration. Multi-dimensional arrays allow storing tables of data by using multiple indices. Functions can accept array arguments which allows modifying the original array.

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65 views24 pages

10 Arrays

Arrays allow storing a sequence of elements of the same type. There are two types of arrays - static and dynamic. Static arrays have a fixed size defined during declaration, while dynamic arrays can have their size modified. Arrays can be initialized during declaration. Multi-dimensional arrays allow storing tables of data by using multiple indices. Functions can accept array arguments which allows modifying the original array.

Uploaded by

HariPonnana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 24

Arrays

09/02/06

Arrays

A sequence of elements of same type which share


a single name.
Two categories of arrays are there

1. Static arrays
2. Dynamic arrays.

Declaration for static array specifies the array size,


which cannot be altered afterwards.
But for dynamic arrays the size can be altered.

09/02/06

There is something called as dynamic memory using


which dynamic arrays size can be modified.
This can be discussed only after pointers.
2

Initializing arrays (for static arrays)

int n[4] = { 10, 20, 30, 40};

int n[4] = { 10, 20};

n[0] = 10, n[1] = 20, n[2] = 30, n[3] = 40


n[0] = 10, n[1] = 20, n[2] = 0, n[3] = 0

If initialization is done (which implicitly


specifies the size) then one can omit size.
int a[ ] = { 0, 1, 2};

09/02/06

a is of size 3 elements and a[0] = 0, a[1] = 1,


a[2] = 2
3

Initializing character arrays

char str[ ] = cat;


This is equivalent to
char str[ ] = {c, a, t, \0};
which is in turn equivalent to
char str[4] = {c, a, t, \0};

09/02/06

arrays

int n[10] = {0};


First element of n[ ] is explicitly initialized to 0, and
the remaining elements by default are initialized to
0.
int n[10];
In this all 10 elements contains junk values.
Forgetting to initialize the elements of an array
whose elements should be initialized is a common
mistake.
int a[3] = {1,2,3,4,5}; /* syntax error */

09/02/06

arrays
#include<stdio.h>
main( )
{
int marks[54];
/* to find average */
for( j = 0; j < 54; j++ ){
;
}
;
}

09/02/06

Let the number of


students are increased to
66
This should be modified
from 54 to 66

This also should be modified.

Like this if at many places 54 is hard coded, then they all


should be modified to avoid errors. This is a potential problem.

Symbolic constants
#include<stdio.h>
#define SIZE 54
main( )
{
int marks[SIZE];

#define is a preprocessing
directive

/* to find average */
for( j = 0; j < SIZE; j++ ){
;
}
;
}

09/02/06

It is used to define
symbolic constants

#include is also a preprocessing


directive which is used to include
contents of a file.

Preprocessing
/* contents of stdio.h are kept
here */
main( )
{
int marks[54];

#include<stdio.h>
#define SIZE 54
main( )
{
int marks[SIZE];
/* to find average */
for( j = 0; j < SIZE; j++ ){
;
}

SIZE is replaced by 54 in the source file.

Preprocessing
09/02/06

Preprocessor

Simply

/* to find average */
for( j = 0; j < 54; j++ ){
;
}

is done first and then compilation is done.


8

Preprocessing

Remember that it is an error to end #include or


#define with a semicolon. These are not C
statements.
A symbolic constant like SIZE is not a variable.
Advise: Use only UPPERCASE LETTERS for
symbolic constants. This distinguishes them from
other identifiers.
There are many more preprocessing directives
which are often called as macros, but discussion of
these are as usual postponed.

09/02/06

Passing arrays to functions

int count[5];
count is the name of the array and value of count
is a constant which is the starting address of the
array.
When we say
count[3] = 33;
what happens is 33 is stored in the memory
location whose address is :
(count + 3* sizeof (int))
So, when we pass count to a function, then we
are actually passing an address.
So, the function which uses this address can in
fact modify the original array !

09/02/06

10

Passing arrays to functions

Function prototype which takes an array as


argument:

return-type function( array-type array-name[ ] );


Optionally array-name can be omitted.
Eg: float find_average(float marks[ ]);
Or, float find_average(float [ ]);

Function definition

09/02/06

float find_average(float marks[ ])


{
.;
}

11

Functions with arrays


void f_1(int [ ]);
main( )
{
int a[10];
;
f_1(a);
;
}
void f_1(int b[ ])
{
b[4] = 20;/* in fact a[4] in main is assigned with 20 */
.. ;
}
09/02/06

12

See the difference


void swap(int, int);
main( )
{
int a[2] = {10, 20};
swap(a[0], a[1]);
printf(%d %d, a[0], a[1]);
}

void swap(int [ ]);


main( )
{
int a[2] = {10, 20};
swap(a);
printf(%d %d, a[0], a[1]);
}

void swap(int b0, int b1)


{
int t;
t = b0, b0 = b1, b1 = t;
return;

void swap(int b[ ])
{
int t;
t = b[0], b[0] = b[1],
b[1] = t;
return;

09/02/06

13

Multi-dimensional arrays

Until now what we saw are one dimensional


arrays.

An element is indexed with a single subscript.


A list of elements can be stored.

To store a table of elements (for example, a


matrix) we require a two dimensional array.

09/02/06

14

2 dimensional array
Number of rows

Declaration

int mat[2][4];
Number of columns

mat[0][0] mat[0][1] mat[0][2] mat[0][3]


mat[1][0] mat[1][1] mat[1][2] mat[1][3]

09/02/06

15

2 dimensional arrays: initialization

int mat[2][4] = { {1,2,3,4} , {5,6,7,8} };


mat[0][0] = 1, mat[0][1] = 2, , mat[1][3] = 8
int a[2][2] = { {1}, {3,4} };
a[0][0] = 1, a[0][1] = 0, a[1][0] = 3, a[1][1] = 4
int b[2][2] = { 1,3,4};
b[0][0] = 1, b[0][1] = 3, b[1][0] = 4, b[1][1] = 0

09/02/06

16

2 dimensional arrays: initialization

In one dimensional arrays we said that


int a[ ] = {1,2,3}; /* same as int a[3] = {1,2,3}; */
Can we do for 2 dim arrays also like that
int b[ ][ ] = {1,2,3,4,5,6};
b could be of 2 rows and 3 columns, or of 3 rows and 2
columns.
To avoid this ambiguity, the column size (second
subscript) must be specified explicitly in the declaration.
int b[ ][2] = {1,2,3,4,5,6}; /*this is OK*/
b has two columns and three rows

09/02/06

17

2 dimensional arrays: initialization

Check the following declaration


int a[ ][2] = {1,2,3};
a has 2 rows and 2 columns.
a[1][1] = 0
But declaring,
will not work !

09/02/06

int a[2][ ] = {1,2,3};

18

2 dimensional arrays: addresses


This is the important number which is
collected from the declaration

int a[4][5];
When you say a[2][3], the location accessed is at
address (a + 2*(5*sizeof(int)) + 3*sizeof(int) )
Let a = 100 and sizeof(int) = 2 then the addresses of
consecutive cells are as:
0
1
2
3
4
0
100 102 104 106 108
1
2
3

09/02/06

110
120
130

112 114 116 118


122 124 126 128
132 134 136 138
19

2 dimensional arrays: addresses

int a[4][5];
a is the starting address of the 2 dim. Array
a[k] is the starting address of the k th row
a = 100

a[0] = 100
a[1] = 110
a[2] = 120

100
110
120
130

102
112
122
132

104
114
124
134

106
116
126
136

108
118
128
138

a[3] = 130
09/02/06

20

2 dimensional arrays: functions

Function prototype
double f_1(char [ ][4]);
Number of columns in the argument array must be
specified. Otherwise address calculations are not
possible.
Function definition
double f_1(char names[ ][4])
{
;
}

09/02/06

21

2 dimensional arrays: functions

Function call
double f_1(char [ ][4]);
main( )
{
char str[10][4];
;
v = f_1(str);
}

09/02/06

double f_1(char names[ ][4])


{
;
}

22

2 dim arrays: Example: Read 10


words from keyboard

void read_names(char [ ][16]);


/*func protorype*/
main( )
{
char name[40][16];
read_names(name);
}
void read_names(char str[ ][16])
{
for( j =0; j<40; j++)
scanf(%s, str[ j] );
}

09/02/06

23

Multi-dimensional arrays

This is simply generalization of 2


dimensional arrays.
For example

int a[2][4][9];
int b[ ][3][2] = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7};
This can be left blank if
initialization is given

09/02/06

Similar rules for functions as for 2 dim. arrays


24

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