POINTERS &

DYNAMIC OBJECTS
Data Structures and Algorithm
 2

Topics
• Pointers
• Memory addresses
• Declaration
• Dereferencing a pointer
• Pointers to pointer
• Static vs. dynamic objects
• new and delete
 3

Computer Memory

• Each variable is assigned a memory slot (the

size depends on the data type) and the
variable’s data is stored there

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… … 100 … 1024 …
a
Variable a’s value, i.e., 100, is
int a = 100; stored at memory location 1024
 4

Pointers
• A pointer is a variable used to store the
address of a memory cell.
• We can use the pointer to reference this
memory cell

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… … 100 … 1024 …
integer
pointer
 5

Pointer Types
• Pointer
• C++ has pointer types for each type of object
• Pointers to int objects
• Pointers to char objects
• Pointers to user-defined objects
(e.g., RationalNumber)
• Even pointers to pointers
• Pointers to pointers to int objects
 6

Pointer Variable

• Declaration of Pointer variables

type* pointer_name;
//or
type *pointer_name;
where type is the type of data pointed to (e.g. int, char, double)

Examples:
int *n;
RationalNumber *r;
int **p; // pointer to pointer
 7

Address Operator &

• The "address of " operator (&) gives the memory
address of the variable
• Usage: &variable_name

Memory address: 1020 1024

… … 100 … … …
a
int a = 100;
//get the value,
cout << a; //prints 100
//get the memory address
cout << &a; //prints 1024
 8

Address Operator &

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… 88 100 … … …
a b
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void main(){  Result is:
The address of a is: 1020
int a, b;
The address of b is: 1024
a = 88;
b = 100;
cout << "The address of a is: " << &a << endl;
cout << "The address of b is: " << &b << endl;
}
 9

Pointer Variables
Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… 88 100 … 1024 …
a p
int a = 100;  Result is:
int *p = &a; 100 1024
cout << a << " " << &a <<endl; 1024 1032
cout << p << " " << &p <<endl;

• The value of pointer p is the address of variable a

• A pointer is also a variable, so it has its own memory
address
 10

Pointer to Pointer

What is the output?

58 58 58
 11

Dereferencing Operator *
• We can access to the value stored in the variable
pointed to by using the dereferencing operator (*),

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… 88 100 … 1024 …
a p
int a = 100;
int *p = &a;  Result is:
cout << a << endl; 100
cout << &a << endl; 1024
cout << p << " " << *p << endl; 1024 100
cout << &p << endl; 1032
 12

Don’t get confused

• Declaring a pointer means only that it is a pointer: int
*p;
• Don’t be confused with the dereferencing operator,
which is also written with an asterisk (*). They are
simply two different tasks represented with the same
sign
int a = 100, b = 88, c = 8;
int *p1 = &a, *p2, *p3 = &c;
p2 = &b; // p2 points to b
p2 = p1; // p2 points to a
b = *p3; //assign c to b
*p2 = *p3; //assign c to a  Result is:
cout << a << b << c; 888
 13

A Pointer Example
Memory Layout
The code Box diagram
main
void doubleIt(int x,
int * p) p
a 16 8192
{ (8200)
*p = 2 * x; doubleIt
x 9
}
(8196)
int main(int argc,
const char * argv[]) a
doubleIt 16 main
{ (8192)
int a = 16;
doubleIt(9, &a); x 9
return 0;
} p
a gets 18
 14

Another Pointer Example

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;  Result is
int main (){ value1==10 / value2==20
int value1 = 5, value2 = 15;
int *p1, *p2;
p1 = &value1; // p1 = address of value1
p2 = &value2; // p2 = address of value2
*p1 = 10; // value pointed to by p1=10
*p2 = *p1; // value pointed to by p2= value
// pointed to by p1
p1 = p2; // p1 = p2 (pointer value copied)
*p1 = 20; // value pointed to by p1 = 20
cout << "value1==" << value1 << "/ value2==" << value2;
return 0;
}
 15

Another Pointer Example

int a = 3;
char s = ‘z’;
double d = 1.03;
int *pa = &a;
char *ps = &s;
double *pd = &d;
cout << sizeof(pa) << sizeof(*pa)
<< sizeof(&pa) << endl;
cout << sizeof(ps) << sizeof(*ps)
<< sizeof(&ps) << endl;
cout << sizeof(pd) << sizeof(*pd)
<< sizeof(&pd) << endl;
 16

Reference Variables
A reference is an additional name to
an existing memory location
Pointer: Reference:

x 9 x
9
ref

ref

int x = 9;
int x=9;
int &ref = x;
int *ref;
ref = &x;
 17

Reference Variables
• A reference variable serves as an alternative name for
an object

int m = 10;
int &j = m; // j is a reference variable
cout << “value of m = “ << m << endl;
//print 10
j = 18;
cout << “value of m = “ << m << endl;
// print 18
 18

Reference Variables
• A reference variable always refers to the
same object. Assigning a reference variable
with a new value actually changes the value of
the referred object.
• Reference variables are commonly used for
parameter passing to a function
 19

Traditional Pointer Usage

void IndirectSwap(char *Ptr1, char *Ptr2){
char temp = *Ptr1;
*Ptr1 = *Ptr2;
*Ptr2 = temp;
}
int main() {
char a = 'y';
char b = 'n';
IndirectSwap(&a, &b);
cout << a << b << endl;
return 0;
}
 20

Pass by Reference
void IndirectSwap(char& y, char& z) {
char temp = y;
y = z;
z = temp;
}
int main() {
char a = 'y';
char b = 'n';
IndirectSwap(a, b);
cout << a << b << endl;
return 0;
}
 21

Pointers and Arrays

 Thename of an array points only to the first
element not the whole array.

1000

1004

1008

1012

1016
 22

Array Name is a pointer constant

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

void main (){

int a[5];
cout << "Address of a[0]: " << &a[0] << endl
<< "Name as pointer: " << a << endl;
}

Result:
Address of a[0]: 0x0065FDE4
Name as pointer: 0x0065FDE4
 23

Dereferencing An Array Name

This element is
called a[0] or
*a
#include <iostream>
a[0] 2 using namespace std;
a void main(){
a[1] 4 int a[5] = {2,4,6,8,22};
a[2] 6 cout << *a << " "
<< a[0];
a[3] 8 } //main
a[4] 22
a
 24

Array Names as Pointers

 Toaccess an array, any pointer to the first
element can be used instead of the name of the
array.
We could replace *p by *a

#include <iostream>
p using namespace std;
a
void main(){
a[0] 2 int a[5] = {2,4,6,8,22}; 22
a[1] 4 int *p = a;
a[2] 6 cout << a[0] << " "
a[3] 8 << *p;
a[4] 22 }
a
 25

Multiple Array Pointers

 Both a and p are pointers to the same array.

#include <iostream>
a[0] using namespace std;
a[0] 22 void main(){
2 p
44 int a[5] = {2,4,6,8,22};
a[1] 4 int *p = &a[1];
a[2] 6 cout << a[0] << " "
<< p[-1];
a[3] 8 p[0]
cout << a[1] << " "
a[4] 22 << p[0];
}
 26

Pointer Arithmetic
 Givena pointer p, p+n refers to the element
that is offset from p by n positions.

a 2 p - 1

a + 1 4 p
a + 2 6 p + 1
a + 3 8 p + 2
a + 4 22 p + 3
 27

Dereferencing Array Pointers

a[0] or *(a + 0) 2 a
a[1] or *(a + 1) 4 a + 1
a[2] or *(a + 2) 6 a + 2
a[3] or *(a + 3) 8 a + 3
a[4] or *(a + 4) 22 a + 4

*(a+n) is identical to a[n]

 Note: flexible pointer syntax
 28

Array of Pointers & Pointers to Array

a
p
b
c

An array of Pointers A pointer to an array

int a = 1, b = 2, c = 3; int list[5] = {9, 8, 7, 6, 5};
int *p[5]; int *p;
p[0] = &a; P = list;//points to 1st entry
p[1] = &b; P = &list[0];//points to 1st entry
p[2] = &c; P = &list[1];//points to 2nd entry
P = list + 1; //points to 2nd entry
 29

NULL pointer
• NULL is a special value that indicates an empty pointer
• If you try to access a NULL pointer, you will get an error
int *p;
p = 0;
cout << p << endl; //prints 0
cout << &p << endl;//prints address of p
cout << *p << endl;//Error!
 30

Storing 2D Array in 1D Array

int twod[3][4] = {{0,1,2,3}, {4,5,6,7},

{8,9,10,11}};

int oned[12];
for(int i=0; i<3; i++){
for(int j=0; j<4 ; j++)
oned[i*4+j] = twod[i][j];
}
 31

Pointer to 2-Dimensional Arrays

table[i] =
table
&table[i][0]
refers to
table + 1 table[ 0] or *( table + 0 ) the address
of the ith
row
table + 2 table[ 1] or *( table + 1 )

table[ 2] or *( table + 2 )
int table[3][4] = {{1,2,3,4}, *(table[i]+j)
What is = table[i][j]
{5,6,7,8},{9,10,11,12}};
**table
? for(int i=0; i<3; i++){
for(int j=0; j<4; j++)
cout << *(*(table+i)+j);
cout << endl;
}
Dynamic Objects
 33

Memory Management
• Static Memory Allocation
• Memory is allocated at compilation time
• Dynamic Memory
• Memory is allocated at running time
 34

Static vs. Dynamic Objects

• Static object • Dynamic object
(variables as declared in
function calls) • Memory is acquired by
• Memory is acquired program with an allocation
automatically request
• new operation

• Memory is returned • Dynamic objects can exist

automatically when object beyond the function in
goes out of scope which they were allocated

• Object memory is
returned by a deallocation
request
• delete operation
 35

Memory Allocation

new
delete
{ int* ptr;
int a[200]; ptr = new int[200];
… …
} delete [] ptr;
 36

Object (variable) creation: New

Syntax
ptr = new SomeType;

where ptr is a pointer of type SomeType

Example
int* p = new int;

Uninitialized int variable

p
 37

Object (variable) destruction: Delete

Syntax
delete p;
storage pointed to by p is returned to free store and p is
now undefined

Example int* p = new int;

*p = 10;
delete p;

p 10
 38

Array of New: dynamic arrays

• Syntax
P = new SomeType[Expression];
• Where
• P is a pointer of type SomeType
• Expression is the number of objects to be
constructed -- we are making an array

• Because of the flexible pointer syntax, P can

be considered to be an array
 39

Example
Dynamic Memory Allocation
 Request for “unnamed” memory from the Operating System

new
 int *p, n=10;
p = new int;
p

new
p = new int[100]; p
new
p = new int[n]; p
 40

Memory Allocation Example

Want an array of unknown size
main()
{
cout << “How many students? “;
cin >> n;

int *grades = new int[n];

for(int i=0; i < n; i++){

int mark;
cout << “Input Grade for Student” << (i+1) << “ ? :”;
cin >> mark;
grades[i] = mark;
}

. . .
printMean( grades, n ); // call a function with dynamic array
. . .
}
 41

Freeing (or deleting) Memory

 42

A Simple Dynamic List Example

cout << "Enter list size: ";
int n;
cin >> n;
int *A = new int[n];
if(n<=0){
cout << "bad size" << endl;
return 0;
}
initialize(A, n, 0); // initialize the array A with value 0
print(A, n);
A = addElement(A,n,5); //add an element of value 5 at the end of A
print(A, n);
A = deleteFirst(A,n); // delete the first element from A
print(A, n);
selectionSort(A, n); // sort the array (not shown)
print(A, n);
delete [] A;
 43

Initialize

void initialize(int list[], int size, int value){

for(int i=0; i<size; i++)
list[i] = value;

}
 44

print()

void print(int list[], int size) {

cout << "[ ";
for(int i=0; i<size; i++)
cout << list[i] << " ";
cout << "]" << endl;
}
 45

Adding Elements
// for adding a new element to end of array
int* addElement(int list[], int& size, int value){
int* newList = new int [size+1]; // make new array
if(newList==0){
cout << "Memory allocation error for addElement!" << endl;
exit(-1);
}
for(int i=0; i<size; i++)
newList[i] = list[i];
if(size) delete [] list;
newList[size] = value;
size++;
return newList;
}
 46

Delete the first element

// for deleting the first element of the array
int* deleteFirst(int list[], int& size){
if(size <= 1){
if( size) delete list;
size = 0;
return NULL;
}
int* newList = new int [size-1]; // make new array
if(newList==0){
cout << "Memory allocation error for deleteFirst!" << endl;
exit(-1);
}
for(int i=0; i<size-1; i++) // copy and delete old array
newList[i] = list[i+1];
delete [] list;
size--;
return newList;
}
 47

Adding Element (version 2)

// for adding a new element to end of array
void addElement( int * & list, int & size, const int value ){

int * newList = new int [size + 1];

if( newList == NULL ){

cout << "Memory allocation error for addElement!" << endl;
exit(-1);
}

for( int i = 0; i < size; i++ )

newList[ i ] = list[ i ];

if( size ) delete [] list;

newList[ size ] = value;

size++;
list = newList;
return;
}
 48

Deleting Element (version 2)

void deleteFirst( int * & list, int & size ){

if( size <= 1 ){

if( size )
delete list;
list = NULL;
size = 0;
return;
}

delete list; // delete the first element

list++;
size--;
return;
}
 49

Another Main program

int main(){

int * A = NULL;
int size = 0;
int i;

for( i = 0; i < 10; i++ )

addElement( A, size, i );
for( i = 0; i < 10; i++ )
cout << A[i] << " ";
cout << endl;
for( i = 0; i < 4; i++ )
deleteFirst( A, size );
for( i = 0; i < 6; i++ )
cout << A[i] << " ";
cout << endl; 0123456789
return 0; 456789
}
 50

Dangling Pointer Problem

int *A = new int[5];
for(int i=0; i<5; i++)
A[i] = i;
int *B = A;
A
0 1 2 3 4
B

delete [] A;
Locations do not belong to program
B[0] = 1; // illegal!
A —

?
B
 51

Memory Leak Problem

int *A = new int [5];
for(int i=0; i<5; i++)
A[i] = i;
A 0 1  22 3 4

These locations cannot be

A = new int [5]; accessed by program

A 0 1 2 3 4

— — — — —
 52

A Dynamic 2D Array
 A dynamic array is an table 32 18 12 24
array of pointers to
table[0]
save space when not all 13 11 16 12 42 19 14
rows of the array are table[1]
full. table[2]
22
table[3]
 int **table; table[4] 13 13 14
table[5]
11 18
table = new int*[6];
…
table[0] = new int[4];
table[1] = new int[7];
table[2] = new int[1];
table[3] = new int[3];
table[4] = new int[2];
table[5] = NULL;
 53

Memory Allocation
int **table;

table = new int*[6];

table[0]= new int[3];

table[1]= new int[1];
table[2]= new int[5];
table[3]= new int[10];
table[4]= new int[2];
table[5]= new int[6];

table[0][0] = 1; table[0][1] = 2; table[0][2] = 3;

table[1][0] = 4;
table[2][0] = 5; table[2][1] = 6; table[2][2] = 7; table[2][3]
= 8; table[2][4] = 9;

table[4][0] = 10; table[4][1] = 11;

cout << table[2][5] << endl;
 54

Memory Deallocation
• Memory leak is a serious bug!
• Each row must be deleted individually
• Be careful to delete each row before deleting
the table pointer.
• for(int i=0; i<6; i++)
delete [ ] table[i];
delete [ ] table;
 55

Create a matrix of any dimensions, m by n:

Put it into a function:

int m, n; int m, n;
cin >> m >> n >> endl;
cin >> m >> n >> endl;
int** mat;
mat = imatrix(m,n);
int** mat; …

mat = new int*[m]; int** imatrix(nr, nc) {

int** m;
m = new int*[nr];
for (int i=0;i<m;i++) for (int i=0;i<nr;i++)
mat[i] = new int[n]; m[i] = new int[nc];
return m;
}