Chapter 9 – Pointers

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
9.1 Getting the address of a Variable

• The address operator (&) returns the

memory address of a variable.

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Figure 9-1

letter number amount

1200 1201 1203

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Program 9-1
// This program uses the & operator to determine a variable’s
// address and the sizeof operator to determine its size.

#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
int x = 25;
cout << "The address of x is " << &x << endl;
cout << "The size of x is " << sizeof(x) << " bytes\n";
cout << "The value in x is " << x << endl;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

The address of x is 0x8f05

The size of x is 2 bytes
The value in x is 25

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Pointer Variables

• Pointer variables, which are often just

called pointers, are designed to hold
memory addresses. With pointer variables
you can indirectly manipulate data stored in
other variables.

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Pointers are useful for the following:

• Working with memory locations that

regular variables don’t give you access to
• Working with strings and arrays
• Creating new variables in memory while
the program is running
• Creating arbitrarily-sized lists of values in
memory
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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Program 9-2
// This program stores the address of a variable in a pointer.
#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
int x = 25;
int *ptr;

ptr = &x; // Store the address of x in ptr

cout << "The value in x is " << x << endl;
cout << "The address of x is " << ptr << endl;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

The value in x is 25
The address of x is 0x7e00

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Figure 9-2
x
25
ptr

0x7e00

Address of x: 0x7e00

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program 9-3
// This program demonstrates the use of the indirection
// operator.
#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
int x = 25;
int *ptr;

ptr = &x; // Store the address of x in ptr

cout << "Here is the value in x, printed twice:\n";
cout << x << " " << *ptr << endl;
*ptr = 100;
cout << "Once again, here is the value in x:\n";
cout << x << " " << *ptr << endl;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

Here is the value in x, printed twice:

25 25
Once again, here is the value in x:
100 100

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program 9-4
#include <iostream>

void main(void)
{
int x = 25, y = 50, z = 75;
int *ptr;
cout << "Here are the values of x, y, and z:\n";
cout << x << " " << y << " " << z << endl;
ptr = &x; // Store the address of x in ptr
*ptr *= 2; // Multiply value in x by 2
ptr = &y; // Store the address of y in ptr
*ptr *= 2; // Multiply value in y by 2
ptr = &z; // Store the address of z in ptr
*ptr *= 2; // Multiply value in z by 2
cout << "Once again, here are the values of x, y, and z:\n";
cout << x << " " << y << " " << z << endl;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

Here are the values of x, y, and z:

25 50 75
Once again, here are the values of x, y , and z:
50 100 150

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9.3 Relationship Between Arrays and
Pointers
• array names can be used as pointers, and
vice-versa.

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 Program 9-5
// This program shows an array name being dereferenced
// with the * operator.

#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
short numbers[] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};

cout << "The first element of the array is ";

cout << *numbers << endl;
}

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Program Output

The first element in the array is 10

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Figure 9-3

numbers[0] numbers[1] numbers[2] numbers[3] numbers[4]

numbers

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 Figure 9-4

numbers[0] numbers[1] numbers[2] numbers[3] numbers[4]

numbers (numbers+1) (numbers+2) (numbers+3) (numbers+4)

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Program 9-6
// This program processes the contents of an array. Pointer
// notation is used.
#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
int numbers[5];

cout << "Enter five numbers: ";

for (int count = 0; count < 5; count++)
cin >> *(numbers + count);
cout << "Here are the numbers you entered:\n";
for (int count = 0; count < 5; count++)
cout << *(numbers + count)<< " ";
cout << endl;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output with Example Input

Enter five numbers: 5 10 15 20 25 [Enter]

Here are the numbers you entered:
5 10 15 20 25

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Program 9-7
// This program uses subscript notation with a pointer and
// pointer notation with an array name.

#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
float coins[5] = {0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0};
float *floatPtr; // Pointer to a float
int count; // array index

floatPtr = coins; // floatPtr now points to coins array

cout.precision(2);
cout << "Here are the values in the coins array:\n";

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Program continues
for (count = 0; count < 5; count++)
cout << floatPtr[count] << " ";
cout << "\nAnd here they are again:\n";
for (count = 0; count < 5; count++)
cout << *(coins + count) << " ";
cout << endl;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

Here are the values in the coins array:

0.05 0.1 0.25 0.5 1
And here they are again:
0.05 0.1 0.25 0.5 1

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Program 9-8
// This program uses the address of each element in
the array.

#include <iostream.h>
#include <iomanip.h>

void main(void)
{
float coins[5] = {0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0};
float *floatPtr; // Pointer to a float
int count; // array index
cout.precision(2);
cout << "Here are the values in the coins array:\n";

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program continues
for (count = 0; count < 5; count++)
{
floatPtr = &coins[count];
cout << *floatPtr << " ";
}
cout << endl;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

Here are the values in the coins array:

0.05 0.1 0.25 0.5 1

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
9.4 Pointer Arithmetic

• Some mathematical operations may be

performed on pointers.
– The ++ and – operators may be used to
increment or decrement a pointer variable.
– An integer may be added to or subtracted from
a pointer variable. This may be performed with
the +, - +=, or -= operators.
– A pointer may be subtracted from another
pointer.
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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Program 9-9
// This program uses a pointer to display the contents
// of an integer array.
#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
int set[8] = {5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40};
int *nums, index;
nums = set;
cout << "The numbers in set are:\n";
for (index = 0; index < 8; index++)
{
cout << *nums << " ";
nums++;
}

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 Program continues

cout << "\nThe numbers in set backwards are:\n";

for (index = 0; index < 8; index++)
{
nums--;
cout << *nums << " ";
}
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

The numbers in set are:

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
The numbers in set backwards are:
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
9.5 Initializing Pointers

• Pointers may be initialized with the address

of an existing object.

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
9.6 Comparing Pointers

• If one address comes before another address

in memory, the first address is considered
“less than” the second. C++’s relational
operators maybe used to compare pointer
values.

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Figure 9-5

An array of five integers

array[0] array[1] array[2] array[3] array[4]

0x5A00 0x5A04 0x5A08 0x5A0C 0x5A0F

(Addresses)

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
 Program 9-10
// This program uses a pointer to display the contents
// of an integer array.
#include <iostream.h>

void main(void)
{
int set[8] = {5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40};
int *nums = set; // Make nums point to set

cout << "The numbers in set are:\n";

cout << *nums << " "; // Display first element
while (nums < &set[7])
{
nums++;
cout << *nums << " ";
}

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Program continues

cout << "\nThe numbers in set backwards are:\n";

cout << *nums << " "; // Display last element
while (nums > set)
{
nums--;
cout << *nums << " ";
}
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output

The numbers in set are:

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
The numbers in set backwards are:
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5

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9.7 Pointers as Function Parameters

• A pointer can be used as a function

parameter. It gives the function access to
the original argument, much like a reference
parameter does.

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 Program 9-11
// This program uses two functions that accept addresses of
// variables as arguments.
#include <iostream.h>

// Function prototypes
void getNumber(int *);
void doubleValue(int *);

void main(void)
{
int number;
getNumber(&number) // Pass address of number to getNumber
doubleValue(&number); // and doubleValue.
cout << "That value doubled is " << number << endl;
}

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Program continues
// Definition of getNumber. The parameter, Input, is a pointer.
// This function asks the user for a number. The value entered
// is stored in the variable pointed to by Input.

void getNumber(int *input)

{
cout << "Enter an integer number: ";
cin >> *input;
}

// Definition of doubleValue. The parameter, val, is a pointer.

// This function multiplies the variable pointed to by val by
// two.

void doubleValue(int *val)

{
*val *= 2;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output with Example Input

Enter an integer number: 10 [Enter]

That value doubled is 20

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program 9-12
// This program demonstrates that a pointer may be used as a
// parameter to accept the address of an array. Either subscript
// or pointer notation may be used.
#include <iostream.h>
#include <iomanip.h>

// Function prototypes
void getSales(float *);
float totalSales(float *);

void main(void)
{
float sales[4];

getSales(sales);
cout.precision(2);

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 Program continues
cout.setf(ios::fixed | ios::showpoint);
cout << "The total sales for the year are $";
cout << totalSales(sales) << endl;
}

// Definition of getSales. This function uses a pointer to accept

// the address of an array of four floats. The function asks the
// user to enter the sales figures for four quarters, and stores
// those figures in the array. (The function uses subscript
// notation.)

void getSales(float *array)

{
for (int count = 0; count < 4; count++)
{
cout << "Enter the sales figure for quarter ";
cout << (count + 1) << ": ";
cin >> array[count];
}
}

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 Program continues
// Definition of totalSales. This function uses a pointer to
// accept the address of an array of four floats. The function
// gets the total of the elements in the array and returns that
// value. (Pointer notation is used in this function.)

float totalSales(float *array)

{
float sum = 0.0;

for (int count = 0; count < 4; count++)

{
sum += *array;
array++;
}
return sum;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output with Example Input

Enter the sales figure for quarter 1: 10263.98 [Enter]

Enter the sales figure for quarter 2: 12369.69 [Enter]
Enter the sales figure for quarter 3: 11542.13 [Enter]
Enter the sales figure for quarter 4: 14792.06 [Enter]
The total sales for the year are $48967.86

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
9.8 Focus on Software Engineering:
Dynamic Memory Allocation
• Variables may be created and destroyed
while a program is running.
• A pointer than contains the address 0 is
called a null pointer.
• Use the new operator to dynamically
allocate memory.
• Use delete to dynamically deallocate
memory.
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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program 9-13
// This program totals and averages the sales figures for any
// number of days. The figures are stored in a dynamically
// allocated array.

#include <iostream.h>
#include <iomanip.h>

void main(void)
{
float *sales, total = 0, average;
int numDays;

cout << "How many days of sales figures do you wish ";
cout << "to process? ";
cin >> numDays;
sales = new float[numDays]; // Allocate memory

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Program continues
if (sales == NULL) // Test for null pointer
{
cout << "Error allocating memory!\n";
return;
}
// Get the sales figures from the user
cout << "Enter the sales figures below.\n";
for (int count = 0; count < numDays; count++)
{
cout << "Day " << (count + 1) << ": ";
cin >> sales[count];
}
// Calculate the total sales
for (count = 0; count < numDays; count++)
{
total += sales[count];
}

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Program continues

// Calculate the average sales per day

average = total / numDays;

// Display the results

cout.precision(2);
cout.setf(ios::fixed | ios::showpoint);
cout << "\n\nTotal sales: $" << total << endl;
cout << "average sales: $" << average << endl;
// Free dynamically allocated memory
delete [] sales;
}

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Starting Out with C++, 3rd Edition
Program Output with Example Input

How many days of sales figures do you wish to process? 5 [Enter]

Enter the sales figures below.
Day 1: 898.63 [Enter]
Day 2: 652.32 [Enter]
Day 3: 741.85 [Enter]
Day 4: 852.96 [Enter]
Day 5: 921.37 [Enter]
total sales: $4067.13
average sales: $813.43

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9.9 Focus on Software Engineering:
Returning Pointers from Functions
• Functions can return pointers, but you must
be sure the object the pointer references still
exists.
• You should only return a pointer from a
function if it is:
– A pointer to an object that was passed into the
function as an argument.
– A pointer to a dynamically allocated object.
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