National University of Computer

and Emerging Sciences

Spring 2022

Hira Naveed
Lecture # 5 Structures
Abstract Data Type

• You have seen many primitive data types like int,

float, double, bool etc.

• An abstract data type (ADT) is a data type created by the

programmer and is composed of one or more primitive
data types.
Abstract Data Type

• So far you’ve written programs that keep data in

individual variables.

• If you need to group items together, C++ allows you to

create arrays.

• The limitation of arrays, however, is that all the elements

must be of the same data type.

• Sometimes a relationship exists between items of

different types of elements.
 Their definition
Abstract Data Type statements do not
make it clear that
they belong
together.
Variable Definition Data Held
int empNumber; Employee number
string name; Employee’s name
double hours; Hours worked
double payRate; Hourly pay rate
double grossPay; Gross pay

All these variables hold data about the same employee

Combining Data into Structures

• Structure: is like a container that allows multiple

variables to be grouped together

• Variables can be of any type

struct structName
{
dataType field1;
dataType field2;
. . .
};
Example struct Declaration

struct Student structure name

{
int studentID;
string name;
short yearInSchool; structure members

double gpa;
};

• Organize related data (variables) into a nice neat

package (single unit)
 struct Declaration Notes

• Must have ; after closing }

• struct names commonly begin with uppercase letter

• Multiple fields of same type can be in comma-separated

list:

string name, address;

 Creating struct Variables

• struct declaration does not allocate memory or create

variables

• Must create a struct variable

• To create variables, use structure name as type name

Student tom; tom

studentID
name
structure name variable name yearInSchool

gpa
 Creating struct Variables

• Must declare a structure before creating a structure

variable

Student tom; tom

studentID
name
yearInSchool
structure name variable name
gpa
Creating struct Variables – Another
way
• Can also create a structure variable with its declaration

struct Student
{ int studentID;
string name;
short yearInSchool;
double gpa;
} student1;
Creating struct Variables Two Ways
struct Employee struct Student
{
string firstName; {
string lastName; int studentID;
string address;
double salary; string name;
int deptID; short yearInSchool;
};
double gpa;
Employee e1; } s1, s2;

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Accessing Structure Members

• Use the dot (.) operator to refer to members of struct

variables:
cin >> s1.studentID;
s1.name = “Alex Stone”;
s1.gpa = 3.75;

• Member variables can be used in any manner

appropriate for their data type
Displaying a struct Variable

• To display the contents of a struct variable, must

display each field separately, using the dot operator:

cout << s1; // won’t work

cout << s1.studentID << endl;
cout << s1.name << endl;
cout << s1.yearInSchool;
cout << " " << s1.gpa;
 Values should
Initializing a Structure be in the same
struct Student sequence as
the structure
{ int studentID;
string name;
short yearInSchool;
double gpa;
};

• struct variable can be initialized when created

Student s1 = {11465, "Joan", 2, 3.75};
Initializing a Structure

Can also be initialized member-by-member after definition:

s1.name = "Joan";
s1.gpa = 3.75;
More on Initializing a Structure

• May initialize only some members:

Student s1 = {14579};

• Cannot skip over members:

// illegal
Student s1 = {1234, "John", , 2.83};
More on Initializing a Structure

• You can also give default values inside a struct definition

struct Student
{
int studentID = 0;
string name = ““;
short yearInSchool = 1;
double gpa = 1.0;
};
Accessing Structure Members
void main{ struct PayRoll {
int empNumber;
emp1.empNumber = 489; string name;
double hours;
emp1.name = “Jill Smith”;
double payRate;
double grossPay;
emp1.hours = 23;
} emp1;
emp1.payRate = 20;

emp1.grossPay = emp1.hours * emp1.payRate;

}
Comparing struct Variables

• Cannot compare struct variables directly:

if (s1 == s2) // won’t work

• Instead, must compare on a field basis:

if (s1.studentID == s2.studentID)
Assigning struct Variables

• A structure variable can be assigned to another structure

variable only if both are of same type

• A structure variable can be initialized by assigning

another structure variable to it by using the assignment
operator as follows:

Student s1 = { 1432, “Zoe”, 3, 2.99} ;

Student s2 = s1;
Array of Structures
• An array of structures is a type of array in which each
array element is a structure
struct Book
{ int ID;
int Pages;
float Price;
};
Book Library[100]; // declare array of
structures

…
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Arrays of Structures

• Can be used in place of parallel arrays

const int NUM_STUDENTS = 20;
Student stuList[NUM_STUDENTS];

• Individual structures in an array accessible using subscript

notation

• Fields within structures accessible using dot notation:

cout << stuList[5].studentID;
Array of Structures
struct Book
{ int ID;
int Pages;
float Price;
};
Book b[3]; //declare of array of
structures

•Initializing can be at the time of declaration

Book b[3] = { {1,275,70} , {2,600,90} , {3,786,100} };

•Or can be assigned values using cin:

cin >> b[0].ID;
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cin >> b[0].Pages;
Partial Initialization of Array of Structures

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Array as Member of Structures
• A structure may also contain arrays as members.

struct Student
{
int RollNo;
float Marks [3];
};

• Initialization can be done at time of declaration:

Student s1 = {1, {70.0, 90.0,

97.0} };
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Array as Member of Structures

• Can also assigned values later in the program:

Student s1;
s1.RollNo = 1;
s1.Marks[0] = 70.0;
s1.Marks[1] = 90.0;
s1.Marks[2] = 97.0;

• Or user can use cin to get input directly:

cin >> s1.RollNo;
cin >> s1.Marks[0];
cin >> s1.Marks[1];
cin >> s1.Marks[2];
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Array as Member of Structures

struct Student {
int age;
int marks;
int arr[3];
};
void main() {
Student s[3] = { 1,2,3,4,5,{},7,8,9,10,11 };
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
cout << s[i].age << endl;
cout << s[i].marks << endl;
cout << s[i].arr[0] << " " << s[i].arr[1] << " " <<
s[i].arr[2] << endl;;
cout<<“-----------”<<endl; }
}
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Array as Member of Structures

struct Student {
int age;
int marks;
int arr[3];
};
void main() {
Student s[3] = { 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 };
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
cout << s[i].age << endl;
cout << s[i].marks << endl;
cout << s[i].arr[0] << " " << s[i].arr[1] << " " <<
s[i].arr[2] << endl;;
cout<<“------------”<<endl; }
}
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Nested Structure
• A structure can be a member of another structure: called
nested structure

struct A
{
int x;
double y;
};
struct B
{
char ch; record
A v2; v2
}; ch x y
B record;

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 Initializing/Assigning to a Nested
Structure void main() // Input
{
struct A{ B record;
int x; cin >> record.ch;
float y; cin >> record.v2.x;
}; cin >> record.v2.y;
}
struct B{
char ch; void main()
A v2; //Assignment
}; {
void main() B record;
//Initialization record.ch = ‘S’;
{ record.v2.x = 100;
B record ={‘S’,{100, 3.6}}; record.v2.y = 3.6;
} } 30
Pointers to Structures

• A structure variable has an address

• Pointers can be used to point to structure variables.

• Pointers to structures are variables that can hold the

address of a structure

Student *stuPtr;

The stuPtr pointer can point at

variables of the type Student
Accessing Structures with Pointers

• The pointer variable should be of the type:

Your Structure
struct Rectangle {
int width;
int height;
};

void main( )
{
Rectangle rect1 = {22,33};
Rectangle* rect1Ptr = &rect1;
}
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Accessing Structures with Pointers

• How to access the structure members (using pointer)?

• Use dereferencing operator (*) with dot operator (.)
struct Rectangle {
int width;
int height;
};

void main( )
{
Rectangle rect1 = {22,33};
Rectangle* rect1Ptr = &rect1;
cout<<(*rectPtr1).width << endl;
cout<<(*rectPtr1).height << endl;
} 33
Accessing Structures with Pointers

• Is there some easier way to do this?

• Use arrow operator ( -> ) instead of * and .
struct Rectangle {
int width;
int height;
};

void main( )
{
Rectangle rect1 = {22,33};
Rectangle* rect1Ptr = &rect1;
cout<< rectPtr1->width << endl;
cout<< rectPtr1->height << endl;
} 34
Anonymous Structure

• Structures can be anonymous

• Must create variable after declaration

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Other Stuff You Can Do With a struct

• You can also associate functions with a structure (called

member functions)

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Quick Example

struct StudentRecord {
string name; // student name
int marks[5]; // test grades
double ave; // final average

void print_ave( ) {
cout << "Name: " << name << endl;
cout << "Average: " << ave << endl;
}
};

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Using a Member Function

• Use the dot operator to call member functions of a struct

StudentRecord stu;

stu.print_ave( );

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Structures as Function Arguments

• May pass members of struct variables to functions:

//function definition
float computeGPA(float gpa){
……………
}

//function call
computeGPA(s1.gpa);
Structures as Function Arguments

• May pass entire struct variables to functions

1. Pass-by-value
2. Pass-by-reference
3. Pass-using pointers
Structures as Function Arguments –
Pass by Value
struct Rectangle { A copy of the struct
box is created and
double length; saved in the function
double width; parameter r
double area;
};
void changeRect(Rectangle r) {
r.length = 5;
r.width = 6;
r.area = 30;
}
void main(){
Rectangle box = {1, 2, 2};
changeRect(box); }
Structures as Function Arguments –
Pass by Value
void changeRect(Rectangle r) {
r.length = 5;
r.width = 6;
r.area = 30;
}
void main(){
Rectangle box = {1, 2, 2};
changeRect(box);

cout << box.length << endl; prints 1

cout << box.width << endl; prints 2
cout << box.area << endl; prints 2
}
Structures as Function Arguments –
Pass by Reference
The actual struct
struct Rectangle { variable box is passed
double length; by reference
(parameter r is just
double width; another name for box)
double area;
};
void changeRect(Rectangle &r) {
r.length = 5;
r.width = 6;
r.area = 30;
}

Rectangle box = {1, 2, 2};

changeRect(box);
Structures as Function Arguments –
Pass by Value
void changeRect(Rectangle &r) {
r.length = 5;
r.width = 6;
r.area = 30;
}
void main(){
Rectangle box = {1, 2, 2};
changeRect(box);

cout << box.length << endl; prints 5

cout << box.width << endl; prints 6
cout << box.area << endl; prints 30
}
Structures as Function Arguments -
Notes
• Passing a structure to a function by value can slow
down a program, waste space

• Passing a structure to a function by reference will speed

up program, but the function may change data in
structure

• Using a const reference parameter allows read-only

access to reference parameter, it is fast and does not
waste space
Structures as Function Arguments –
Pass by const Reference
void changeRect(const Rectangle &r) {
r.length = 5;//ERROR! Cannot modify const
r.width = 6; //ERROR! Cannot modify const
r.area = 30; //ERROR! Cannot modify const
}
void main(){
Rectangle box = {1, 2, 2};
changeRect(box);

}
Structures as Function Arguments –
Pass by const Reference
void showRect(const Rectangle &r) {
cout << r.length << endl;
cout << r.width << endl;
cout << r.area << endl;
}
void main(){
Rectangle box = {1, 2, 2};
showRect(box);
}
Output: 1
2
2
Returning a Structure from a Function

• A Function can return a struct:

Student getStudentData(); // prototype
stu1 = getStudentData(); // call

• Function must define a local structure variable

• for internal use
• for use with return statement
Returning a Structure from a Function -
Example

Student getStudentData()
{
Student tempStu;

cin >> tempStu.studentID;

cin >> tempStu.yearInSchool;
cin >> tempStu.gpa;

return tempStu;
}
Practice Question 1

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Practice Question 1
struct Car {
string model;
int year;
float price;
};
void main() {
Car showroom[30]; //array of cars
for (int i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
cin >> showroom[i].model;
cin >> showroom[i].year;
cin >> showroom[i].price;
}
for (int i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
if (showroom[i].price > 500000) {
cout << showroom[i].model<<" "<< showroom[i].year <<" "
<<showroom[i].price;
}
}
}
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Practice Question 2

• Write a program that implements the following using

C++ struct. The program should finally displays
contactInfo values for 10 people.

ContactInfo

Name PhoneNo Address

City Country

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Practice Question 2
struct Address {
string city;
string country; };
struct ContactInfo {
string name;
long int number;
Address address; };
void main() {
ContactInfo phonebook[10];
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
cin >> phonebook[i].name;
cin >> phonebook[i].number;
cin >> phonebook[i].address.city;
cin >> phonebook[i].address.country;
}
for (int i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
cout << phonebook[i].name << " " << phonebook[i].number << " "
<< phonebook[i].address.city << " " << phonebook[i].address.country
<< endl;;
} }
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