Algorithmic and DYNAMIC data structure Chapter 9: C pointers

Chapter 9: C pointers

Pointers and Array in C – relationship and use

In C programming, pointers and array shares a very close relationship. Array is a
data structure that hold finite sequential collection of similar type data. We use
array to store a collection of similar type data together. To access and array
element we use index. These index starts from 0 and goes up to N-1 (where N is
size of the array).

Relationship between pointers and array

Consider the below array declaration,

int arr[5];

It declares an integer array with a capacity of five elements. To access any element
of the given array we use array index notation. For example to access zeroth
element we use arr[0], similarly to access fifth element we use arr[4].

Let us transform things in the context of pointers.

int * ptr = &arr[0];

The above statement declares an integer pointer pointing at zeroth array element.

In C programming, array exhibits a special behaviour. Whenever you refer an array

name directly, is behaves a pointer pointing at zeroth array element. Which means
both of the below statements are equivalent.

int * ptr = &arr[0];

int * ptr = arr;

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Algorithmic and DYNAMIC data structure Chapter 9: C pointers

This special behaviour of array allows many interesting things to happen. Things
such as you can interchangeably use array and pointers. You can also use array
name as a pointer pointing at zeroth element. In context of array and pointer, all
of the following statements are valid.

int arr[5];
int * ptr = arr;

arr[0] = 10; // Stores 10 at 0th element of array

ptr[1] = 20; // Stores 20 at 1st element of array

ptr = arr; // ptr and arr both points to 0th element of array
*ptr = 100; // Stores 100 at 0th element of array (Since ptr points at arr[0])
*arr = 100; // Stores 100 at 0th element of array

How to access single dimension array using

pointer
Array elements are stored sequentially in memory. Below is the memory
representation of array

int arr[] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};

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Pointer and array memory representation

In the above image first array element i.e. arr[0] is allocated at memory 0x1000. For
the above case I have assumed integer size as 4 bytes. Hence, next array element
i.e. arr[1] will get memory at 0x1004 and so on fifth array element is allocated
at 0x1016.

Since array elements are stored sequentially, hence you can easily apply pointer
arithmetic to iterate though elements. You can use following pointer arithmetic
operations to access array elements.

int arr[5];
int * ptr = arr; // Integer pointer pointing at arr[0]

ptr[0] = 10; // Assigns 10 to arr[0]

ptr++; // ptr now points at arr[1]
ptr--; // ptr now points back at arr[0]

*(ptr + 4) = 100; // Assigns 100 to arr[4].

// Note, ptr currently pointing at arr[0] not arr[1].
// Hence (ptr + 4) will point at arr[4]

*(arr + 0) = 10; // Assigns 10 to arr[0]

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Algorithmic and DYNAMIC data structure Chapter 9: C pointers

Example program to read and print array

elements using pointer
/**
* C program to read and print array elements using pointer
*/

#include <stdio.h>

#define SIZE 10 // Maximum array size

int main()
{
int arr[SIZE]; // Declare an array of size 10
int *ptr = arr; // Pointer to first element of integer array
int i;

/* Input number from user in array */

printf("Enter %d array elements: ", SIZE);
while(ptr < &arr[SIZE])
{
// Input in array using pointer
scanf("%d", ptr);

// Move pointer to next array element

ptr++;
}

// Make sure pointer point back to 0th element

ptr = arr;

// Print all elements using pointer

printf("Elements in array are: ");
for(i=0; i < SIZE; i++)
{
printf("%d, ", *(ptr + i));
}

return 0;
}

Output –

Enter 10 array elements: 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Elements in array are: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100,

 The condition while(ptr < &arr[SIZE]) will iterate till ptr points withing array range.
 In statement scanf("%d", ptr); you might have noticed that, I have not used
address of operator & with variable name in scanf() function. This is
because scanf() function accepts memory address and pointer
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Algorithmic and DYNAMIC data structure Chapter 9: C pointers

variable contains memory address. Hence, there we can use pointer

variable directly in scanf().

Is name of array is constant pointer to zeroth

array element?
As we saw earlier whenever you use array name directly, the C compiler assumes
it as a pointer pointing at zeroth array element. This pointer is not modifiable.
Therefore, you may think it as a const pointer.

Constant pointer is a special pointer whose value cannot be modified. Means a

pointer that once point to a memory location cannot point to another memory
location later in the program.

Let us write a C program to prove array name behaves as a constant pointer in C.

int main()
{
int arr[] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50}; // Integer array
int *ptr = arr; // Pointer to 0th element of array

/*
* If arr behaves as a constant pointer then compiler
* must complain about arr++. Since arr++ is equivalent to
* arr = arr + 1 which is not permitted.
*/
arr++; // Error

// No error
ptr++;

return 0;
}

On compilation of the above program, it produces following compilation errors.

Which is a proof that the array name (as a pointer) is not modifiable.

parrname.c: In function 'main':

parrname.c:10:9: error: lvalue required as increment operand
arr++; // Error

However, the above proof is not adequate to say array name is a constant pointer
to zeroth element of array. If it is a constant pointer then sizeof(arr) must return
size of constant integer pointer, but it doesn’t.
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sizeof(arr) returns total bytes occupied by array i.e. number-of-elements * array-data-

type-size.

Array name when used directly behaves as a constant pointer but it is not a
constant pointer. Pointer and array both are different concepts though
interlinked.

A note on array index

The behaviour of array as a pointer lets you do several magical things. Let us
discuss another important behaviour of array as a pointer in C programming.
Consider the below integer array.

int arr[] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};

As we saw earlier, we can use array name as a pointer pointing to zeroth element.
The array dereferencing operator [ ] internally converts array indexed accessing, in
the context of pointers. For example,

arr[0]; // Equivalent to *(arr + 0)

arr[4]; // Equivalent to *(arr + 4)

We can also write the statement *(arr + 0) as *(0 + arr), since additions are
associative in nature. Which in array indexed format can be written as 0[arr].

Let us collect it all together.

arr[0] => *(arr + 0)

*(arr + 0) => *(0 + arr) // Since additions are associative

*(arr + 0) => arr[0]

*(0 + arr) => 0[arr]
arr[0] => 0[arr] // Both are equivalent

Conclusion: You can interchangeably use arr[0] as 0[arr]. Both convey the same
meaning in C programming.