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Structures in C Programming by T Koki

This document provides an introduction to structures in C programming, defining a structure as a collection of related variables of different data types. It covers the syntax for defining structures, creating instances, and accessing structure members using the dot and arrow operators. Additionally, it explains the limitations of structure definitions, such as not allowing an instance of itself within its definition.

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Tatenda Koki
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
2 views9 pages

Structures in C Programming by T Koki

This document provides an introduction to structures in C programming, defining a structure as a collection of related variables of different data types. It covers the syntax for defining structures, creating instances, and accessing structure members using the dot and arrow operators. Additionally, it explains the limitations of structure definitions, such as not allowing an instance of itself within its definition.

Uploaded by

Tatenda Koki
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Structures

At the end of this lecture you should be able to:.


• Define the term structure.
• Give the syntax of a structure definition.
• Define structure variables or instances.
• Access structure members
• Define arrays of structures.

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano


Structures

• A Structure is a collection of related variables of


different data types referenced by a single name.
• Unlike arrays where elements are of the same data
type, here the variables are of different data types
and elements of a structure are called members.
• They are commonly used to define records to be
stored in files.
• Structures are derived data types which act like
other built in types like int, float or char.

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano


Defining Structures in C

• A Structure definition declares its members in braces and is


terminated by a semi-colony.
• Syntax
• struct name-of-structure
{
Members of the structure
};
• The definition is introduced by the key word struct, followed by
the name of structure.
• Members of a structure must have unique names and can be
variables of basic data types e.g. (int, char, float) or aggregates
such as arrays and other structures.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano
Defining Structures in C

Example
• struct student
{
char Regno [8];
char firstname[20];
char lastname[20];
int Age;
char gender;
char programme[50];
};
We can then define variables of type struct student, e.g. struct student
student1; in the main function.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano
Defining Structures in C
A structure cannot contain an instance of itself. i.e. a variable of type struct
student cannot be declared in the definition for struct student, however we
may include a pointer to struct student.
Example
• struct student
{
char Regno [8];
char firstname[20];
char lastname[20];
int Age;
char gender;
char programme[50];
struct student stud; //error
struct student * studptr; //correct
};
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano
Creating Structures instances
To create an instance of a structure, you can append a
variable name after the close curly brace and before the
semi-colon in the structure definition e.g.
struct example
{
char c;
int i;
} ex1, ex2;
• Or you can create it like other variables, with the type of
the variable being the word struct followed by the name
of the structure. e.g. struct example ex3;
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano
Accessing Structures members

Two operators are used


1. The structure member operator(.)- also
called the dot operator.
2. The structure pointer operator ( ->) – also
called the arrow operator.

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano


Accessing Structures members

The structure pointer operator ( ->)


• The structure pointer operator consist of a
minus sign – followed by a greater than > sign
with no intervening spaces.
• It accesses a structure member via a pointer to
the structure.
• Remember a pointer to a structure can be
declared as a member inside the structure
definition or as other instances outside.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano
Accessing Structures members

• Assume the pointer aptr has been declared for a structure


say student with a member regno, to print the regno with
aptr we use
• printf(“%s”,aptr ->regno);
• The expression aptr ->regno is equivalent to
• (*aptr).regno, which dereferences the pointer and accesses
the member regno using the structure member operator.
• The paranthesis are needed here because the member
operator (.) has a higher precedence than the pointer
dereferencing operator (*).

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lecturer :Mr C Zano

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