OverlQ.com (/) Home) 1 C Programming Tutorial /e-programming-101/) / Pointer to a Structure in C Pointer to a Structure in C #9 Last updated on July 27, 2020 etc, Similar, we can have a painter to structures, where a pointer variable can point to the address of a structure variable“ Here is how we ‘ 4 char breedix » 9 struct dog spikes 31 // declaring a pointer to a structure of type struct dog 32) struct dog *pt This declares a pointer ptr_dog that can store the address of the variable of type struct dog -We can now assign the address of variable spike to ptr_cog using & operator v, Now ptr_dog points to the structure variable spike “Accessing members using Pointer ‘There are two ways of accessing members of structure using pointer 1. Using indirection (+ ) operator and dot (. ) operator.V 2.Using arrow {->) operator or membership operator. Let's start with the first one. / Using Indirection (*) Operator and Dot (.) Operator Girtnis pont str oe points tothe structure variable spike, so by dereferencingitwe wl ge the contents ofthe spike. This means spike ad *pr_aot are funcional equivalent To accessa member of structure wit “pt_aoefolowed by «do. )opertoy, ole by the rae of te nen For example Pointers InC_C Tutorial In Hindi #26 (//codehunteronline/h, J (ptr_dog).nane -refers to the nare of dog (ptr_dog).reed - refers to the breed of dog and so on, Using arrow operator (->) The above method of accessing members of the structure using poles is sight confsng a nat’ why provides another way to acces members using the arrow (-> operator. To acces members using ao rte pointer variable folowesty > operator lowes ty rameaftemember ) RSPAS nercnepo rear1 ptr_dog-snane // refers to the nase of dog 2 prridog->brees // refers to the breed of dog and0 on _/ tere we dont need parenteses, asterisk +) and dot.) operator. This method is much more readable and intuitive We can also mod the vale of members using ponte notation v A streny(otr_dog-rvane, "new_rane"); Here we know that the name of the array (ptr_dg->nane) sa constant pointer and points to the Oth element of the array. Sowe can't assign (2 new string to eusing assignment operator (=) that’s why strcpy() function is used. SY ~ per donate: In the above expression precedence of arrow operator (->) is greater than that of prefix decrement operator ( applied in the expression then its value is decremented by 1 So frst -> operators wa following program demonstrates how we can use a pointer to structure 2 Hincludecstato.h> 2 a 5)” char nane(301s, © char breea(3@)s, 7 ne aes 8 char colori30); 2 21 int nain(y wt 32 struet dog ay_dog = ("tyke", "Bul2éog", 5, “uhite"}; 34 struct cog "yer 15 ptrog = Sry_o. 27 printe(*boq's mane: s\n", ptr_dog-dnare)s 38 printf(*Dog's breed: %e\n", pe_dog-sbreed); 28 printe(*Dog's age: a\a", ote_dog->ase)s, 28 print¢(*DoR's color: s\n", pr_dog->color); 22 // changing the none of dog fron tyke to Jock 2 Steepytptecdog-onane, "Sact")s 2 // Ancreasing oge of dog by 1 year 26 —_ptrsog-vageess 28 printe("Dog's new nane 45: s\n", ptr dog-onane): 29 printe("Dog's age As: d\n", ptr dop->age): 31 // stqnol to operating systen prograw ran fine 52 return 8; a} Expected Output 1 bogs mane: tyke 2 9p's breed: Bulldog 3 ag's ages 5 4 g's color: white After changes 5 og's new nane is: jack 9 op's age is: 6 How it works: a aIn ines 3-9, we have declared a structure of type dog which has four members namely nane, breed, age and color Inline 13,a variable called y_dog oftype struct dog is declared and intialize, Inline 14, pointer variable ptr_dog of ype struct dog is declared Inline 15, the address of ny dog is assigned to ptr dog using & operator. In lines 17-20, the printét) statements prints the details of the dog, In tine 23, anew name is assigned to per_éog using the strepy() function, because we can't assign a string value direc og-ynane Using assignment operator. Inline 26, the value of pte_dog->age Is incremented by 1 using postfix increment operator, Recall that postfix +» operator and -> have the same precedence and associates from left to right. Bu since postfix + Is used in the expression fist the value of ptr_dog-rage is used in the expression then it's value is incremented by 1 € Nested Structures in C Y/c-programming-101/nested-structures.in-/} Pointers as Structure Member in C+ (c-programming-101/pointers-as-structure-member-in-c)