University of Washington

Computer Programming I

Lecture 20:
Nested Data Structures

© 2000 UW CSE U-1

Overview
Data representation in C

Arrays of structs

structs containing arrays

Sorting an array of structs

U-2
Data Representation in C
Simple data types
int, double, char
Atomic chunks of data - cannot be
pulled apart into components
Composite data
Arrays
Structs

U-3
Composite Data

U-4
Composite Data
Arrays
Sequence of variables all of the same type
structs
Collection of fields of possibly different
types

Key point: variables of any type can be a

component of an array or struct…

including an array or struct! U-5

Nested structs - Example
typedef struct { /* a single point */
double x, y ;
} point ;
typedef struct { /* a size */
double width, height ;
} dimension ;
typedef struct { /* description of rectangle */
dimension size ;
point lower_left ;
int line_color, fill_color ;
U-6
} rectangle ;
 Nested struct Layout
typedef struct { r
double x, y ;
} point ;
typedef struct { width
double width, height ; size height
} dimension ;
typedef struct {
x
dimension size ; lower_left
y
point lower_left ;
int line_color, fill_color ;
} rectangle ; line_color
fill_color
/* variable declaration */ U-7

rectangle r;
Field Selection
Use the . operator to r
select a field.
If the field it itself a width
struct, use . again to size height
select its
components
x
lower_left
y

line_color
fill_color
U-8
Field Selection
Use the . operator to r
select a field.
If the field it itself a width
struct, use . again to size height
select its
components
x
r lower_left
y

line_color
fill_color
U-9
Field Selection
Use the . operator to r
select a field.
If the field it itself a width
struct, use . again to size height
select its
components
x
r lower_left
y
r.lower_left
line_color
fill_color
U-10
Field Selection
Use the . operator to r
select a field.
If the field it itself a width
struct, use . again to size height
select its
components
x
r lower_left
y
r.lower_left
r.lower_left.x line_color
fill_color
U-11
Structures and Arrays

U-15
Structures and Arrays
A struct represents a single record
Typically, computer applications have to deal
with collections of such records
Examples: student records, employee
records, customer records, parts records
In each case we will have multiple instances
of one record (struct) type

Arrays of structs are the natural way to do thisU-16

Components in struct Arrays
pentagon -- an array of points
x
y

x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y

point pentagon[5]; U-17

Components in struct Arrays
pentagon -- an array of points
x
y
pentagon[1] -- a point
x
y structure
x
y
x
y
x
y

point pentagon[5]; U-18

Components in struct Arrays
pentagon -- an array of points
x
y
pentagon[1] -- a point
x
y structure
x
y pentagon[4].x -- a double
x
y
x
y

point pentagon[5]; U-19

Arrays in structs
The fields in a struct can themselves be an array
Common example: strings (arrays of char)

#define MAX_NAME 40
typedef struct {
char name [MAX_NAME+1] ;
int id ;
double score ;
} student_record ;
U-20
Review: structs as Parameters
A single struct is passed by value
all of its components are copied from the argument
(actual parameter) to initialize the (formal)
parameter, even if they are arrays (unless you use
pointers explicitly)
point midpoint (point a, point b) {...}
int main (void) {
point p1, p2, m; /* declare 3 points */
...
m = midpoint ( p1, p2); U-23

}
Passing Arrays of structs
An array of structs is an array.
When any array is an argument (actual
parameter), it is passed by reference (not copied)

The parameter is an alias of the actual array

argument
int avg (student_rec class_db[MAX_N] ) {...}
int main (void) {
student_rec cse_142[MAX_N];
int average;
.... U-24

average = avg ( cse_142 ); /* by reference */

}
Sorting Arrays of structs
Bill Will Gill Phil Jill
920915 901028 900317 920914 910607
2.9
4.0 3.9 2.8 3.6

U-25
Sorting Arrays of structs
Bill Will Gill Phil Jill
920915 901028 900317 920914 910607
2.9
4.0 3.9 2.8 3.6

Phil Bill Jill Gill Will

920914 920915 910607 900317 901028
2.8 2.9 3.6 3.9 4.0

U-26
Sorting Arrays of structs
Bill Will Gill Phil Jill
920915 901028 900317 920914 910607
2.9
4.0 3.9 2.8 3.6

Phil Bill Jill Gill Will

920914 920915 910607 900317 901028
2.8 2.9 3.6 3.9 4.0
typedef struct {
char name [MAX_NAME + 1] ;
int id ;
double score ; U-27

} StudentRecord ;
Review: Selection Sort
/* Sort b[0..n-1] in non-decreasing order
(rearrange elements in b so that
b[0]<=b[1]<=…<=b[n-1] ) */

void sel_sort (int b[ ], int n) {

int k, m;
for (k = 0; k < n - 1; k = k + 1) {
m = min_loc(b,k,n);
swap(&a[k], &b[m]);
}
} U-28
Helper for Selection Sort

U-29
 Helper for Selection Sort
/* Find location of smallest element in b[k..n-1] */
/* Returns index of smallest, does not return the
smallest value itself */

U-30
 Helper for Selection Sort
/* Find location of smallest element in b[k..n-1] */
/* Returns index of smallest, does not return the
smallest value itself */
int min_loc (int b[ ], int k, int n) {
int j, pos; /* b[pos] is smallest element */
pos = k; /* found so far */
for ( j = k + 1; j < n; j = j + 1)
if (b[j] < b[pos])
pos = j;
return pos;
}

U-31
 Helper for Selection Sort
/* Find location of smallest element in b[k..n-1] */
/* Returns index of smallest, does not return the
smallest value itself */
int min_loc (int b[ ], int k, int n) {
int j, pos; /* b[pos] is smallest element */
pos = k; /* found so far */
for ( j = k + 1; j < n; j = j + 1)
if (b[j] < b[pos])
pos = j;
return pos;
}
/* Interchange values */
U-32
void swap (int * x, int * y);
Modifying for Array of StudentRecord

U-33
Modifying for Array of StudentRecord

Decide which field to sort by: the “sort key”

Let’s sort by score
Change array types to StudentRecord
Change comparison to pull out sort key from
the structs
Write a “swap” for StudentRecord

U-34
Selection Sort Helper Modified
/* Sort b[0..n-1] in non-decreasing order
(rearrange elements in b so that
b[0]<=b[1]<=…<=b[n-1] ) */

void sel_sort (StudentRecord b[ ], int n) {

int k, m;
for (k = 0; k < n - 1; k = k + 1) {
m = min_loc(b,k,n);
swap(&a[k], &b[m]);
}
} U-35
Selection Sort Modified

U-36
 Selection Sort Modified
/* Find location of smallest element in b[k..n-1] */
/* Returns index of smallest, does not return the
smallest value itself */

U-37
 Selection Sort Modified
/* Find location of smallest element in b[k..n-1] */
/* Returns index of smallest, does not return the
smallest value itself */
int min_loc (StudentRecord b[ ], int k, int n) {
int j, pos; /* b[pos] is smallest element */
pos = k; /* found so far */
for ( j = k + 1; j < n; j = j + 1)
if (b[j].score < b[pos].score)
pos = j;
return pos;
}
U-38
 Selection Sort Modified
/* Find location of smallest element in b[k..n-1] */
/* Returns index of smallest, does not return the
smallest value itself */
int min_loc (StudentRecord b[ ], int k, int n) {
int j, pos; /* b[pos] is smallest element */
pos = k; /* found so far */
for ( j = k + 1; j < n; j = j + 1)
if (b[j].score < b[pos].score)
pos = j;
return pos;
}
U-39
/* Interchange values */
void swap (StudentRecord * x, StudentRecord * y);
Alphabetical Order
Phil Harry Susan David Sarah
920914 910607 901028 920915 900317
2.8 3.6 4.0 2.9 3.9

U-40
Alphabetical Order
Phil Harry Susan David Sarah
920914 910607 901028 920915 900317
2.8 3.6 4.0 2.9 3.9

typedef struct {
char name[MAX_NAME + 1];
int id;
double score;
} student_record;
U-41

Need a function to compare two strings!

Alphabetical Order
Phil Harry Susan David Sarah
920914 910607 901028 920915 900317
2.8 3.6 4.0 2.9 3.9
David Harry Phil Sarah Susan
920915 910607 920914 900317 901028
2.9 3.6 2.8 3.9 4.0
typedef struct {
char name[MAX_NAME + 1];
int id;
double score;
} student_record;
U-42

Need a function to compare two strings!

Review: String Comparison
“Alice” is less than “Bob”
“Dave” is less than “David”
“Rob” is less than “Robert”

#include <string.h>
int strcmp (char str1[ ], char str2[ ])

returns negative integer if str1 is less than str2

0 if str1 equals str2
positive integer if str1 is greater thanU-43str2
Modified to Sort by Name

U-44
 Modified to Sort by Name
The only change from sorting by score is in the
function min_loc

U-45
 Modified to Sort by Name
The only change from sorting by score is in the
function min_loc

int min_loc (StudentRecord b[ ], int k, int n) {

int j, pos; /* b[pos] is smallest element */
pos = k; /* found so far */
for ( j = k + 1; j < n; j = j + 1)
if (0 > strcmp(b[j].name, b[pos].name) )
pos = j;
return pos;
}
U-46
 Modified to Sort by Name
The only change from sorting by score is in the
function min_loc

int min_loc (StudentRecord b[ ], int k, int n) {

int j, pos; /* b[pos] is smallest element */
pos = k; /* found so far */
for ( j = k + 1; j < n; j = j + 1)
if (0 > strcmp(b[j].name, b[pos].name) )
pos = j;
return pos;
}
U-47
Type Quiz
typedef struct {
char name [MAX_NAME+1];
int id ;
double score ;
} StudentRecord ;

U-48
 Type Quiz
typedef struct {
char name [MAX_NAME+1];
int id ;
double score ;
} StudentRecord ;
StudentRecord a [MAX_STUDENTS];

U-49
 Type Quiz
typedef struct {
char name [MAX_NAME+1];
int id ;
double score ;
} StudentRecord ;
StudentRecord a [MAX_STUDENTS];
/*What is the type of each?*/
a a[0] a[5].name
a[4].id &a[6].score a[2].name[1]
U-50

a.score[0] StudentRecord[1]
Data Structures: What If...
...you wanted to keep information about one
song on the computer.
What pieces of data would you want?
How would you organize them?
How would it look in C?
And then…
What if you wanted information about an
entire CD of songs?
And then… how about a whole collection of
CD's?
U-51
Summary
Arrays and structs can be combined and nested to
any level

The separate rules for arrays and structs are

followed, even when the two ideas are combined

2-D arrays and strings can be used where

appropriate, too

An infinite number of data structures can be

created, each one appropriate to a particularU-52
programming problem