C Basics

13 – user defined data types

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What is the content?
1. typedef
2. enumeration
3. struct
Data Types

Types of data types:

1. Basic / Primary data types:
int, double, float, char, … etc.
2. Aggregate data types:
Array, Structure
3. Custom data types:
Enumeration
typedef Type_datatype

• C provides a capability that enables you to assign an alternate name to a datatype. This is done with a
statement known as typedef.
typedef type_description type_name;
• The statement: typedef int Counter; defines the name Counter to be equivalent to the C data type
int. Variables can subsequently be declared to be of type Counter, as in the following statement:
Counter j, n; the C compiler treats the declaration of the variables j and n, shown in the preceding
code, as normal integer variables.
• The main advantage of the use of the typedef in this case is in the added readability that it lends to the
definition of the variables.
• the typedef statement does not actually define a new type, only a new type_name.
• Write as normal variable then write typedef in its start!
ex. typedef char Linebuf [81]; defines a type called Linebuf, which is an array of 81 characters.
Then if we wrote Linebuf text, inputLine; it means we have two variables, text and
inputLine which are in the type of array of char (array of Linebuf which is an array of char).
enum
• An enumerated type is a user defined data type. It is defined by giving a name for the type and then giving a list of

labels, which are the only values that a variable of that type can have.

• Enumerated types allow the creation of specialized types that support the use of meaningful labels within a
program.

• They promote code readability with very little overhead in memory or runtime cost.
Example: You can define a data type for a year’s seasons. So, if you define a variable period of type season, it can
have any value of the seasons’ labels which were listed.
enum Season { WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, FALL };
enum Season Period;
Period = WINTER;
enum con.
• If numeric values are not specified, identifiers are assigned consecutive values starting with 0:
enum Direction { NORTH = 0, SOUTH = 1, EAST = 2, WEST = 3 };
is equivalent to
enum Direction { NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST };

• Unless specified, the value assigned to an enumeration constant is 1 more than the value of the previous constant:
enum MyEnum { ONE = 17, TWO, THREE, FOUR = -3, FIVE };
results in these values
ONE = 17, TWO = 18, THREE = 19, FOUR = -3, FIVE = -2

• Again “DON’T FORGET”, the C compiler treats enumeration identifiers as integer constants. Beginning with the first

name in the list, the compiler assigns sequential integer values to these names, starting with 0.
enum con.
• You can use the enumerated type to declare symbolic names to represent integer constants.

• By using the enum keyword, you can create a new "type" and specify the values it may have.

• enum constants are type int; therefore, you can use them wherever you want to use an int.

• The purpose of enumerated types is to enhance the readability of a program.

enum primaryColor { red, yellow, blue };
enum primaryColor myColor, girgsColor;
myColor = red;
if(myColor == yellow) {…}
...
struct

Homogeneous data type, is the data type which contains only similar type of
data.
Heterogenous data type, is the data type which contains a verity of dissimilar
type of data.
struct con.
• Structure: a tool for grouping heterogeneous elements together.

• Array: a tool for grouping homogenous elements together.

Example: Storing Calendar Dates (day, month, year)

• Without using Structures, using independent variables:

int month = 4, day = 1, year = 2021;

• Using this method, you must keep track of three separate variables for each date that you use in the
program — even though these variables that are logically related. It would be
much better if you could somehow group these sets of three variables together. This is what the structure in
C allows you to do!
struct con.
struct date
Defines type struct date, with 3 fields of
{ type int.
The names of the fields are local in the context
int month; of the structure.
A struct declaration defines a type: if not
int day; followed by a list of variables it reserves no
storage; it merely describes a template or shape
int year; of a structure.
};
struct date today, purchaseDate; Defines variables of type struct date.

today.year = 2021; Accesses fields of a variable of type struct date.

today.month = 4; A member of a particular structure is referred to in an
expression by a construction of the form
today.day = 1; structurename.member
struct con.
typedef struct date
{ What’s new
int month; here?

int day;
int year;
} Date;
Date today, purchaseDate;
today.year = 2021;
today.month = 4;
today.day = 1;
struct con.
typedef struct bankAccount account1.name[0] = ‘A';
account1.name[1] = ‘m';
{ account1.name[2] = ‘e';
char name[15]; account1.name[3] = ‘e';
account1.name[4] = ‘r';
int accountNo; account1.name[5] = '\0';
double balance; account1.accountNo = 123456;
account1.balance = 500.0;
Date birthday; account1.birthday.day = 1;
} BankAccount; account1.birthday.month = 4;
account1.birthday.year = 2021;

BankAccount account1, account2;

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