Pointers in C

Pointers in C
Addressing Concept
Pointer stores the address of another entity It refers to a memory location
int i = 5; int *ptr; ptr = &i; printf(*ptr = %d\n, *ptr); /* declare a pointer variable */ /* store address-of i to ptr */ /* refer to referee of ptr */
Why do we need Pointer?

Simply because its there! It is used in some circumstances in C
Remember this? scanf(%d, &i);
What actually ptr is?

ptr is a variable storing an address ptr is NOT storing the actual value of i
int i = 5; int *ptr; ptr = &i; printf(i = %d\n, i); printf(*ptr = %d\n, *ptr); printf(ptr = %p\n, ptr);
ptr
i
Output:
i = 5 *ptr = 5 ptr = 65522
address of i
5
value of ptr = address of i in memory
4
Twin Operators
&: Address-of operator
Get the address of an entity
e.g. ptr = &j;

Addr Content 1001 j: 33 Addr Content 1002 1006 k: 58 Addr Content 1003 1007 m: 74
Addr Content 1000 1004 i: 40
ptr: 1001 1005
Twin Operators
*: De-reference operator
Refer to the content of the referee
e.g. *ptr = 99;

Addr Content 1001 j: 99 Addr Content 1002 1006 k: 58 Addr Content 1003 1007 m: 74
Addr Content 1000 1004 i: 40
ptr: 1001 1005
Example: Pass by Reference
Modify behaviour in argument passing

void f(int j) { void f(int *ptr) {
j = 5;
} Void main() { int i = 3; f(i); Printf(%d,i) } }
*ptr = 5;
Void main() { int i = 3;
i=?
f(&i); }
i=?
i=3
i=5
7
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
int *ptr; int **pptr; ptr = &i; pptr = &ptr; *ptr = 3; **pptr = 7; ptr = &j; **pptr = 9; *pptr = &i; *ptr = -2;
Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 5
int
integer variable
10
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
int *ptr; int **pptr; ptr = &i; pptr = &ptr; *ptr = 3; **pptr = 7; ptr = &j; **pptr = 9; *pptr = &i; *ptr = -2; /* declare a pointer-to-integer variable */
j
ptr
int
int *
integer variable
integer pointer variable
10
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
int *ptr; int **pptr; ptr = &i; pptr = &ptr; *ptr = 3; **pptr = 7; ptr = &j; **pptr = 9; *pptr = &i; *ptr = -2; /* declare a pointer-to-pointer-to-integer variable */
j
ptr pptr
int
int *
integer variable
integer pointer variable
10
int ** integer pointer pointer variable Double

10
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
int *ptr; int **pptr; ptr = &i; pptr = &ptr; *ptr = 3; **pptr = 7; ptr = &j; **pptr = 9; *pptr = &i; *ptr = -2; /* store address-of i to ptr */
j
ptr pptr *ptr
int
int * int
integer variable
integer pointer variable de-reference of ptr
10
address of i 5
11
int ** integer pointer pointer variable
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
int *ptr; int **pptr; ptr = &i; pptr = &ptr; /* store address-of ptr to pptr */ *ptr = 3; **pptr = 7; ptr = &j; **pptr = 9; *pptr = &i; *ptr = -2;
j
ptr pptr *pptr
int
int * int *
integer variable
integer pointer variable de-reference of pptr
10
address of i address of ptr value of ptr (address of i)
12
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
j
ptr pptr *ptr
int
int * int
integer variable
10
address of i address of ptr 3
13
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
j
ptr pptr **pptr
int
int * int
integer variable
integer pointer variable de-reference of de-reference of pptr
10
address of i address of ptr 7
14
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
j
ptr pptr *ptr
int
int * int
integer variable
10
address of j address of ptr 10
15
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
j
ptr pptr **pptr
int
int * int
integer variable
integer pointer variable de-reference of de-reference of pptr
9
address of j address of ptr 9
16
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
j
ptr pptr *pptr
int
int * int *
integer variable
integer pointer variable de-reference of pptr
9
address of i address of ptr value of ptr (address of i)
17
An Illustration
int i = 5, j = 10;
Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value -2
j
ptr pptr *ptr
int
int * int
integer variable
9
address of i address of ptr -2
18
Pointer Arithmetic
Whats ptr + 1?
The The
next memory location! Whats ptr - 1? previous memory location! Whats ptr * 2 and ptr / 2?
Invalid
operations!!!
19
Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float a[4];
float *ptr; ptr = &(a[2]); *ptr = 3.14; ptr++; *ptr = 9.0; ptr = ptr - 3; *ptr = 6.0; ptr += 2; *ptr = 7.0;
Data Table Name a[0] a[1] a[2] a[3] ptr *ptr Type float float float float float Description float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) de-reference of float pointer variable Value ? ? ? ? ?
float * float pointer variable
20

float a[4];
Data Table Name a[0] a[1] a[2] a[3] ptr *ptr Type float float float float float Description float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) de-reference of float pointer variable Value ? ? ? ? address of a[2] ?
21

float a[4];
Data Table Name a[0] a[1] a[2] a[3] ptr *ptr Type float float float float float Description float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) de-reference of float pointer variable Value ? ? 3.14 ? address of a[2] 3.14
22

float a[4];
Data Table Name a[0] a[1] a[2] a[3] ptr *ptr Type float float float float float Description float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) de-reference of float pointer variable Value ? ? 3.14 ? address of a[3] ?
23

float a[4];
Data Table Name a[0] a[1] a[2] a[3] ptr *ptr Type float float float float float Description float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) de-reference of float pointer variable Value ? ? 3.14 9.0 address of a[3] 9.0
24

float a[4];
Data Table Name a[0] a[1] a[2] a[3] ptr *ptr Type float float float float float Description float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) de-reference of float pointer variable Value ? ? 3.14 9.0 address of a[0] ?
25

float a[4];
Data Table Name a[0] a[1] a[2] a[3] ptr *ptr Type float float float float float Description float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) float array element (variable) de-reference of float pointer variable Value 6.0 ? 3.14 9.0 address of a[0] 6.0
26

float a[4];
27

float a[4];
28

float a[4]; float *ptr; ptr = &(a[2]); *ptr = 3.14;
Type of a is float * a[2] *(a + 2)

ptr = &(a[2]) ptr = &(*(a + 2)) ptr = a + 2
ptr++;
*ptr = 9.0; ptr = ptr - 3; *ptr = 6.0;
ptr += 2;
*ptr = 7.0;
a is a memory address constant ptr is a pointer variable
29
More Pointer Arithmetic

What if a is a double array? A double may occupy more memory slots!
Given double *ptr = a; Whats ptr + 1 then?

Addr Content 1001 1005 1009 Addr Content 1002 1006 1010 Addr Content 1003 1007 1011
30
Addr Content 1000 1004 1008 a[0]: 37.9 a[1]: 1.23 a[2]: 3.14
More Pointer Arithmetic

Arithmetic operators + and auto-adjust the address offset According to the type of the pointer:
1000 + sizeof(double) = 1000 + 4 = 1004

Addr Content 1001 1005 1009 Addr Content 1002 1006 1010 Addr Content 1003 1007 1011
31
Addr Content 1000 1004 1008 a[0]: 37.9 a[1]: 1.23 a[2]: 3.14
Advice and Precaution
Pros

Efficiency Convenience Error-prone Difficult to debug
Cons

32
Summary
A pointer stores the address (memory location) of another entity Address-of operator (&) gets the address of an entity De-reference operator (*) makes a reference to the referee of a pointer Pointer and array Pointer arithmetic
33

Pointers in C

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Pointers in C

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Pointers in C

Why do we need Pointer?

Remember this? scanf(%d, &i);

What actually ptr is?

&: Address-of operator

Get the address of an entity

e.g. ptr = &j;

Addr Content 1000 1004 i: 40

ptr: 1001 1005

Refer to the content of the referee

e.g. *ptr = 99;

Addr Content 1000 1004 i: 40

ptr: 1001 1005

Example: Pass by Reference

Modify behaviour in argument passing

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 5

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 5

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 5

int ** integer pointer pointer variable Double

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 5

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 5

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 3

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 7

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 7

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 7

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value 7

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Data Table Name i Type int Description integer variable Value -2

int ** integer pointer pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

float * float pointer variable

Pointer Arithmetic and Array

Type of a is float * a[2] *(a + 2)

a is a memory address constant ptr is a pointer variable

More Pointer Arithmetic

Given double *ptr = a; Whats ptr + 1 then?

More Pointer Arithmetic

1000 + sizeof(double) = 1000 + 4 = 1004

Advice and Precaution

Efficiency Convenience Error-prone Difficult to debug

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