Chapter 7 - Pointers

Outline
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Pointer Variable Declarations and Initialization
7.3 Pointer Operators
7.4 Calling Functions by Reference
7.5 Using the const Qualifier with Pointers
7.6 Bubble Sort Using Call by Reference
7.7 Pointer Expressions and Pointer Arithmetic
7.8 The Relationship between Pointers and Arrays
7.9 Arrays of Pointers
7.10 Case Study: A Card Shuffling and Dealing
Simulation
7.11 Pointers to Functions

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 7.1 Introduction
• Pointers
– Powerful, but difficult to master
– Simulate call-by-reference
– Close relationship with arrays and strings

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 7.2 Pointer Variable Declarations
and Initialization
• Pointer variables
– Contain memory addresses as their values
– Normal variables contain a specific value (direct reference)
count

– Pointers contain address of a variable that has a specific

value (indirect reference)
– Indirection – referencing a pointer value
countPtr
count
7

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 7.2 Pointer Variable Declarations
and Initialization
• Pointer declarations
– * used with pointer variables
int *myPtr;
– Declares a pointer to an int (pointer of type int *)
– Multiple pointers require using a * before each variable
declaration
int *myPtr1, *myPtr2;
– Can declare pointers to any data type
– Initialize pointers to 0, NULL, or an address
• 0 or NULL – points to nothing (NULL preferred)

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 7.3 Pointer Operators
• & (address operator)
– Returns address of operand
int y = 5;
int *yPtr;
yPtr = &y; // yPtr gets address of y
yPtr “points to” y

y yptr y
5 500000 600000 600000 5
yPtr

Address of y
is value of
yptr

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 7.3 Pointer Operators
• * (indirection/dereferencing operator)
– Returns a synonym/alias of what its operand points to
– *yptr returns y (because yptr points to y)
– * can be used for assignment
• Returns alias to an object
*yptr = 7; // changes y to 7
– Dereferenced pointer (operand of *) must be an lvalue (no
constants)
• * and & are inverses
– They cancel each other out

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1 /* Fig. 7.4: fig07_04.c
2

3
Using the & and * operators */

#include <stdio.h>
Outline
4

5 int main() 1. Declare

6 { The address of a is the value
variables
7 int a; /* a is an integer */
of aPtr.
8 int *aPtr; /* aPtr is a pointer to an integer */

9 2 Initialize
10 a = 7; variables
The * operator returns an
11 aPtr = &a; /* aPtr set to address of a */
alias to what its operand
12
points to. aPtr points to a,
13 printf( "The address of a is %p" 3. Print
14 "\nThe value of aPtr is %p", &a, aPtr );
so *aPtr returns a.
15

16 printf( "\n\nThe value of a is %d"

17 "\nThe value of *aPtr is %d", a, *aPtr );

18

19 printf( "\n\nShowing that * and & are inverses of "

Notice how * and
20 "each other.\n&*aPtr = %p"

21 "\n*&aPtr = %p\n", &*aPtr, *&aPtr );

& are inverses
22

23 return 0;

24 }

The address of a is 0012FF88

The value of aPtr is 0012FF88

The value of a is 7
The value of *aPtr is 7 Program Output
Proving that * and & are complements of each other.
&*aPtr = 0012FF88
*&aPtr = 0012FF88
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7.4 Calling Functions by Reference
• Call by reference with pointer arguments
– Pass address of argument using & operator
– Allows you to change actual location in memory
– Arrays are not passed with & because the array name is
already a pointer
• * operator
– Used as alias/nickname for variable inside of function
void double( int *number )
{
*number = 2 * ( *number );
}
– *number used as nickname for the variable passed

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1 /* Fig. 7.7: fig07_07.c
2 Notice that the function prototype
Cube a variable using call-by-reference Outline
3 with a pointer argument */ takes a pointer to an integer (int *).
4
1. Function
5 #include <stdio.h>
prototype
6 Notice how the address of
7 void cubeByReference( int * ); /* prototype number is given -
*/
8 cubeByReference expects a 1.1 Initialize
9 int main() pointer (an address of a variable). variables
10 {
11 int number = 5;
2. Call function
12
13 printf( "The original value of number is %d", number );
14 cubeByReference( &number ); 3. Define function
15 printf( "\nThe new value of number is %d\n", number );
16 Inside cubeByReference, *nPtr
17 return 0; is used (*nPtr is number).
18 }
19
20 void cubeByReference( int *nPtr )
21 {
22 *nPtr = *nPtr * *nPtr * *nPtr; /* cube number in main */
23 }

The original value of number is 5

The new value of number is 125

Program Output
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 7.5 Using the const Qualifier with
Pointers
• const qualifier
– Variable cannot be changed
– Use const if function does not need to change a variable
– Attempting to change a const variable produces an error
• const pointers
– Point to a constant memory location
– Must be initialized when declared
– int *const myPtr = &x;
• Type int *const – constant pointer to an int
– const int *myPtr = &x;
• Regular pointer to a const int
– const int *const Ptr = &x;
• const pointer to a const int
• x can be changed, but not *Ptr
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1 /* Fig. 7.13: fig07_13.c
2 Attempting to modify a constant pointer to Outline
3 non-constant data */
4 1. Declare
5 #include <stdio.h> variables
6
7 int main() 1.1 Declare const
8 {
Changing *ptr is allowed – x is pointer to an int
9 int x, y;
not a constant.
10
2. Change *ptr
11 int * const ptr = &x; /* ptr is a constant pointer to an
(which is x)
12 integer. An integer can be modified
13 through ptr, but ptr always points
2.1 Attempt to
14 to the same memory location. */
change ptr
15 *ptr = 7;
Changing ptr is an error –
16 ptr = &y;
ptr is a constant pointer. 3. Output
17
18 return 0;
19 }

FIG07_13.c:
Error E2024 FIG07_13.c 16: Cannot modify a const object in
function main
Program Output
*** 1 errors in Compile ***

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 7.6 Bubble Sort Using Call-by-
reference
• Implement bubblesort using pointers
– Swap two elements
– swap function must receive address (using &) of array
elements
• Array elements have call-by-value default
– Using pointers and the * operator, swap can switch array
elements
• Psuedocode
Initialize array
print data in original order
Call function bubblesort
print sorted array
Define bubblesort
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 7.6 Bubble Sort Using Call-by-
reference
• sizeof
– Returns size of operand in bytes
– For arrays: size of 1 element * number of elements
– if sizeof( int ) equals 4 bytes, then
int myArray[ 10 ];
printf( "%d", sizeof( myArray ) );
• will print 40
• sizeof can be used with
– Variable names
– Type name
– Constant values

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1 /* Fig. 7.15: fig07_15.c

3
This program puts values into an array, sorts the values into

ascending order, and prints the resulting array. */

Outline
4 #include <stdio.h>

5 #define SIZE 10 1. Initialize array

6 void bubbleSort( int *, const int );

8 int main() 1.1 Declare

9 { variables
10

11 int a[ SIZE ] = { 2, 6, 4, 8, 10, 12, 89, 68, 45, 37 };

12 int i;
2. Print array
Bubblesort gets passed the
13
address of array elements
14 printf( "Data items in original order\n" );
(pointers). The name of an 2.1 Call bubbleSort
15

16 for ( i = 0; i < SIZE; i++ ) array is a pointer.

17 printf( "%4d", a[ i ] ); 2.2 Print array
18

19 bubbleSort( a, SIZE ); /* sort the array */

20 printf( "\nData items in ascending order\n" );

21

22 for ( i = 0; i < SIZE; i++ )

23 printf( "%4d", a[ i ] );

24

25 printf( "\n" );

26

27 return 0;

28 }

29

30 void bubbleSort( int *array, const int size )

31 {  2000 Prentice Hall, Inc.

32 void swap( int *, int * ); All rights reserved.
33 int pass, j;
34 for ( pass = 0; pass < size - 1; pass++ ) Outline
35
36 for ( j = 0; j < size - 1; j++ ) 3. Function
37 definitions
38 if ( array[ j ] > array[ j + 1 ] )
39 swap( &array[ j ], &array[ j + 1 ] );
40 }
41
42 void swap( int *element1Ptr, int *element2Ptr )
43 {
44 int hold = *element1Ptr;
45 *element1Ptr = *element2Ptr;
46 *element2Ptr = hold;
47 }

Data items in original order

2 6 4 8 10 12 89 68 45 37 Program Output
Data items in ascending order
2 4 6 8 10 12 37 45 68 89

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 7.7 Pointer Expressions and Pointer
Arithmetic
• Arithmetic operations can be performed on
pointers
– Increment/decrement pointer (++ or --)
– Add an integer to a pointer( + or += , - or -=)
– Pointers may be subtracted from each other
– Operations meaningless unless performed on an array

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 7.7 Pointer Expressions and Pointer
Arithmetic
• 5 element int array on machine with 4 byte ints
– vPtr points to first element v[ 0 ]
• at location 3000 (vPtr = 3000)
– vPtr += 2; sets vPtr to 3008
• vPtr points to v[ 2 ] (incremented by 2), but the machine
has 4 byte ints, so it points to address 3008
location
3000 3004 3008 3012 3016

v[0] v[1] v[2] v[3] v[4]

pointer variable vPtr

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 7.7 Pointer Expressions and Pointer
Arithmetic
• Subtracting pointers
– Returns number of elements from one to the other. If
vPtr2 = &v[ 2 ];
vPtr = &v[ 0 ];
– vPtr2 - vPtr would produce 2
• Pointer comparison ( <, == , > )
– See which pointer points to the higher numbered array
element
– Also, see if a pointer points to 0

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 7.7 Pointer Expressions and Pointer
Arithmetic
• Pointers of the same type can be assigned to each
other
– If not the same type, a cast operator must be used
– Exception: pointer to void (type void *)
• Generic pointer, represents any type
• No casting needed to convert a pointer to void pointer
• void pointers cannot be dereferenced

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 7.8 The Relationship Between
Pointers and Arrays
• Arrays and pointers closely related
– Array name like a constant pointer
– Pointers can do array subscripting operations
• Declare an array b[ 5 ] and a pointer bPtr
– To set them equal to one another use:
bPtr = b;
• The array name (b) is actually the address of first element of
the array b[ 5 ]
bPtr = &b[ 0 ]
• Explicitly assigns bPtr to address of first element of b

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 7.8 The Relationship Between
Pointers and Arrays
– Element b[ 3 ]
• Can be accessed by *( bPtr + 3 )
– Where n is the offset. Called pointer/offset notation
• Can be accessed by bptr[ 3 ]
– Called pointer/subscript notation
– bPtr[ 3 ] same as b[ 3 ]
• Can be accessed by performing pointer arithmetic on the array
itself
*( b + 3 )

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 7.9 Arrays of Pointers
• Arrays can contain pointers
• For example: an array of strings
char *suit[ 4 ] = { "Hearts", "Diamonds",
"Clubs", "Spades" };
– Strings are pointers to the first character
– char * – each element of suit is a pointer to a char
– The strings are not actually stored in the array suit, only
pointers to the strings are stored
suit[0] ’H’ ’e’ ’a’ ’r’ ’t’ ’s’ ’\0’

suit[1] ’D’ ’i’ ’a’ ’m’ ’o’ ’n’ ’d’ ’s’ ’\0’

suit[2] ’C’ ’l’ ’u’ ’b’ ’s’ ’\0’

suit[3] ’S’ ’p’ ’a’ ’d’ ’e’ ’s’ ’\0’

– suit array has a fixed size, but strings can be of any size
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 7.10 Case Study: A Card Shuffling and
Dealing Simulation
• Card shuffling program
– Use array of pointers to strings
– Use double scripted array (suit, face)
Ace Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Jack Queen King
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Hearts 0
Diamonds 1
Clubs 2
Spades 3

deck[ 2 ][ 12 ] represents the King of Clubs

Clubs King

– The numbers 1-52 go into the array

• Representing the order in which the cards are dealt

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7.10 Case Study: A Card Shuffling and
Dealing Simulation
• Pseudocode
– Top level:
Shuffle and deal 52 cards
– First refinement:
Initialize the suit array
Initialize the face array
Initialize the deck array
Shuffle the deck
Deal 52 cards

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7.10 Case Study: A Card Shuffling and
Dealing Simulation
– Second refinement
• Convert shuffle the deck to
For each of the 52 cards
Place card number in randomly selected unoccupied slot
of deck
• Convert deal 52 cards to
For each of the 52 cards
Find card number in deck array and print face and suit of
card

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7.10 Case Study: A Card Shuffling and
Dealing Simulation
– Third refinement
• Convert shuffle the deck to
Choose slot of deck randomly
While chosen slot of deck has been previously chosen
Choose slot of deck randomly
Place card number in chosen slot of deck
• Convert deal 52 cards to
For each slot of the deck array
If slot contains card number
Print the face and suit of the card

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1 /* Fig. 7.24: fig07_24.c

2 Card shuffling dealing program */

3 #include <stdio.h>
Outline
4 #include <stdlib.h>

5 #include <time.h> 1. Initialize suit

6 and face arrays
7 void shuffle( int [][ 13 ] );

8 void deal( const int [][ 13 ], const char *[], const char *[] );

9 1.1 Initialize deck

10 int main() array
11 {

12 const char *suit[ 4 ] =

13 { "Hearts", "Diamonds", "Clubs", "Spades" }; 2. Call function

14 const char *face[ 13 ] = shuffle
15 { "Ace", "Deuce", "Three", "Four",

16 "Five", "Six", "Seven", "Eight",

17 "Nine", "Ten", "Jack", "Queen", "King" };

2.1 Call function
18 int deck[ 4 ][ 13 ] = { 0 }; deal
19

20 srand( time( 0 ) );

21
3. Define functions
22 shuffle( deck );

23 deal( deck, face, suit );

24

25 return 0;

26 }

27

28 void shuffle( int wDeck[][ 13 ] )

29 {

30 int row, column, card;

31  2000 Prentice Hall, Inc.

32 for ( card = 1; card <= 52; card++ ) { All rights reserved.
33 do {
34 row = rand() % 4; The numbers 1-52 are Outline
35 column = rand() % 13; randomly placed into the
36 } while( wDeck[ row ][ column ] != 0 ); deck array. 3. Define functions
37
38 wDeck[ row ][ column ] = card;
39 }
40 }
41
42 void deal( const int wDeck[][ 13 ], const char *wFace[],
43 const char *wSuit[] )
44 {
45 int card, row, column;
46
47 for ( card = 1; card <= 52; card++ )
48
49 for ( row = 0; row <= 3; row++ )
Searches deck for the
card number, then prints
50
the face and suit.
51 for ( column = 0; column <= 12; column++ )
52
53 if ( wDeck[ row ][ column ] == card )
54 printf( "%5s of %-8s%c",
55 wFace[ column ], wSuit[ row ],
56 card % 2 == 0 ? '\n' : '\t' );
57 }
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 Six of Clubs Seven of Diamonds
Outline
Ace of Spades Ace of Diamonds
Ace of Hearts Queen of Diamonds
Queen of Clubs Seven of Hearts
Program Output
Ten of Hearts Deuce of Clubs
Ten of Spades Three of Spades
Ten of Diamonds Four of Spades
Four of Diamonds Ten of Clubs
Six of Diamonds Six of Spades
Eight of Hearts Three of Diamonds
Nine of Hearts Three of Hearts
Deuce of Spades Six of Hearts
Five of Clubs Eight of Clubs
Deuce of Diamonds Eight of Spades
Five of Spades King of Clubs
King of Diamonds Jack of Spades
Deuce of Hearts Queen of Hearts
Ace of Clubs King of Spades
Three of Clubs King of Hearts
Nine of Clubs Nine of Spades
Four of Hearts Queen of Spades
Eight of Diamonds Nine of Diamonds
Jack of Diamonds Seven of Clubs
Five of Hearts Five of Diamonds
Four of Clubs Jack of Hearts
Jack of Clubs Seven of Spades

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 7.11 Pointers to Functions
• Pointer to function
– Contains address of function
– Similar to how array name is address of first element
– Function name is starting address of code that defines
function
• Function pointers can be
– Passed to functions
– Stored in arrays
– Assigned to other function pointers

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 7.11 Pointers to Functions
• Example: bubblesort
– Function bubble takes a function pointer
• bubble calls this helper function
• this determines ascending or descending sorting
– The argument in bubblesort for the function pointer:
int ( *compare )( int, int )
tells bubblesort to expect a pointer to a function that takes two
ints and returns a int
– If the parentheses were left out:
int *compare( int, int )
• Declares a function that receives two integers and returns a
pointer to a int

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1 /* Fig. 7.26: fig07_26.c

2 Multipurpose sorting program using function pointers */

3 #include <stdio.h>
Outline
4 #define SIZE 10

5 void bubble( int [], const int, int (*)( int, int ) ); 1. Initialize array
6 int ascending( int, int );

7 int descending( int, int );

8 Notice the function 2. Prompt for

pointer
9 int main()
parameter. ascending or
10 { descending sorting
11

12 int order,

13 counter, 2.1 Put

14 a[ SIZE ] = { 2, 6, 4, 8, 10, 12, 89, 68, 45, 37 }; appropriate
15 function pointer
16 printf( "Enter 1 to sort in ascending order,\n" into bubblesort
17 "Enter 2 to sort in descending order: " );

18 scanf( "%d", &order );

19 printf( "\nData items in original order\n" ); 2.2 Call bubble

20

21 for ( counter = 0; counter < SIZE; counter++ )

22 printf( "%5d", a[ counter ] );

3. Print results
23

24 if ( order == 1 ) {

25 bubble( a, SIZE, ascending );

26 printf( "\nData items in ascending order\n" );

27 }

28 else {

29 bubble( a, SIZE, descending );

30 printf( "\nData items in descending order\n" );

31 }  2000 Prentice Hall, Inc.

32 All rights reserved.
33 for ( counter = 0; counter < SIZE; counter++ )

34

35
printf( "%5d", a[ counter ] );
Outline
36 printf( "\n" );

37 3.1 Define
38 return 0; functions
39 }

40

41 void bubble( int work[], const int size, ascending and descending
42 int (*compare)( int, int ) ) return true or false.
43 { bubble calls swap if the
44 int pass, count;
function call returns true.
45

46 void swap( int *, int * );

47

48 for ( pass = 1; pass < size; pass++ )

49

50 for ( count = 0; count < size - 1; count++ )

51

52 if ( (*compare)( work[ count ], work[ count + 1 ] ) )

53 swap( &work[ count ], &work[ count + 1 ] );

54 } Notice how function pointers

55 are called using the
56 void swap( int *element1Ptr, int *element2Ptr ) dereferencing operator. The *
57 { is not required, but emphasizes
58 int temp;
that compare is a function
59
pointer and not a function.
60 temp = *element1Ptr;

61 *element1Ptr = *element2Ptr;

62 *element2Ptr = temp;

63 }  2000 Prentice Hall, Inc.

64 All rights reserved.
65 int ascending( int a, int b )

66 { Outline
67 return b < a; /* swap if b is less than a */
3.1 Define
68 }
functions
69

70 int descending( int a, int b )

71 {

72 return b > a; /* swap if b is greater than a */

73 }

Enter 1 to sort in ascending order,

Enter 2 to sort in descending order: 1
Program Output
Data items in original order
2 6 4 8 10 12 89 68 45 37
Data items in ascending order
2 4 6 8 10 12 37 45 68 89

Enter 1 to sort in ascending order,

Enter 2 to sort in descending order: 2

Data items in original order

2 6 4 8 10 12 89 68 45 37
Data items in descending order
89 68 45 37 12 10 8 6 4 2

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