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Intro To Pointer

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8 views

Intro To Pointer

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202251013
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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◦ A pointer is a variable just like other

variable.
◦ The only difference from other
variables is that it stores the
memory address other variables.
◦ This variable may be of type
int, char, array, structure, function
or any other.
Normal variables
◦ Contain a specific value (direct reference)

Pointer variables
◦ Contain memory addresses as their values

countPtr count count


7 7
Pointer declarations
◦ ‘*’ used with pointer variables
int *myPtr;
float *Ptr;
Char *strPtr;
◦ Multiple pointers require using a * before each
variable declaration
int *myPtr1, *myPtr2;
Initialize pointers to:
◦ 0 or NULL,
 points to nothing (NULL preferred)
◦ an address
 points to a certain place/address in the memory

int y = 5;
int *yPtr;
yPtr = &y; // yptr is the address of y
// yPtr “points to” y
a=5;
* ptr;
ptr=&a;

1. Name of variable : a
4. Name of variable: ptr
2. Value of variable: 5
5. Value of variable: 1025
3. Address: 1025 (assume)
6. Address: 5000 (assume)
Call by reference with pointer arguments
◦ Pass address of argument using & operator
◦ Arrays are not passed with & because the array
name is already a pointer
* operator
◦ Used as nickname for variable inside of function

void double( int *number )


{ *number = 2 * ( *number ); }
1 /* Example (2)
2 Notice that the function prototype takes
Cube a variable using call-by-reference Outline
a pointer to an integer (int *).
3 with a pointer argument */
4 Function prototype
5 #include <stdio.h>
6 Notice how the address of number
7 void cubeByReference( int * ); is given
/* - cubeByReference
prototype */
8 expects a pointer (an address of a
variable).
9 int main()
10 {
11 int number = 5; 1 Initialize variables
12
13 printf( "The original value of number is %d", number );
14 cubeByReference( &number ); 2. Call function
15 printf( "\nThe new value of number is %d\n", number );
16 Inside cubeByReference, *nPtr is
17 return 0;
used (*nPtr is number).
18 }
19
20 void cubeByReference( int *nPtr )
21 { 3. Define function
22 *nPtr = *nPtr * *nPtr * *nPtr; /* cube number in main */
23 }

The original value of number is 5


The new value of number is 125 Program Output
#include<stdio.h> #include<stdio.h>
int main() int main()
{ {
int *ptr=( int *)1000; double *p=(double *)1000;
ptr=ptr+1; p=p+3;
printf(" %d",ptr);
printf(" %d",p);
return 0;
return 0;
}
}

Output: 1004
Output: 1024
#include<stdio.h> Difference= 2
int main() #include<stdio.h>
{ int main()
int *p=(int *)1000; {
int *temp; float *p=(float *)1000;
temp=p; float *q=(float *)2000;
p=p+2; printf("Difference= %d",q-p);
printf("%d %d\n",temp,p); return 0;
printf("difference= %d",p- }
temp); Output: Difference= 250
return 0;
}
Output: 1000 1008
Arithmetic operations can be performed on
pointers
◦ Increment/decrement pointer (++ or --)
◦ Add an integer to a pointer
( + or += , - or -=)
◦ Pointers may be subtracted from each other
◦ Operations meaningless unless performed on an
array
operation Description

p++, p-- Increment (decrement) p to point to the next element,


it is equivalent to p+=1 (p -=1)
p+i (p-i) Point to i-th element beyond (in front of) p but value
of p is fixed
p[i] Equivalent to p + i

p + n (integer) n must be an integer, its meaning is offset

p-q Offset between pointer p and pointer q

p+q, p*q, p/q, p%q invalid

Relational operator of valid, including p > q, p < q, p == q,


two pointers p, q p >= q, p <= q, p != q
Pointer comparison ( <, == , > )
◦ See which pointer points to the higher numbered
array element (index)
◦ Also, see if a pointer points to 0

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