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MODULE 2
 Pointers
 pointers to array
 Pointer and functions
 Pointer to strings
 Array of pointers
 pointers to pointers
 Dynamic memory allocation

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 Introduction
• Pointers are variables that hold address of another variable of
same data type.
• Benefits:
Pointers are more efficient in handling Array and Structure.
Pointer allows reference to function and thereby helps in
passing of function as arguments to other function.
It reduces length and the program execution time.
It allows C to support dynamic memory management.

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Concept of Pointer

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 Operators used in Pointers

Dereferencing Address

(Value of)
&(Address of)

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 Int i=3;

Address of ‘i’ Value of ‘i’

‘&i’ variable
i
‘*i’
3
(Value of i)

X1000 x1004 x1008 x100c x1010 x1014

Address of i
The value ‘3’Powerpoint
is saved in the memory location ‘x100c’
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 Declaring a Pointer
• General syntax of pointer declaration is
data_type *pointer_name;
• Rule:
Data type of pointer must be same as the variable, which the
pointer is pointing.
• Note:
void data type pointer works with all data types, but its not used
oftenly.

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 Initialization of Pointer variable
• Pointer initialization is the process of assigning address of a
variable to pointer variable.
Pointer variable contains address of variable of same data type.
In C language, address operator & is used to determine the address of a
variable.
int a = 10;
int *ptr; //pointer declaration
ptr = &a; // pointer initialization
• Note:
 Pointer variable always point to same type of data.

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• There are two unary operations to consider.
• The * operator: If ptra is a pointer variable, then∗ ptra
gives you the content of the location pointed to by ptr.
• The & operator: If v is a variable, then &v is the address of the
variable.

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 Dereferencing of Pointer
• Once a pointer has been assigned the address of a variable, to access
the value of variable
The pointer is dereferenced, using the indirection operation *

int a, *p;
a = 10;
p = &a;
printf(“%d”, *p);
printf(“%d”, *&a);
printf(“%u”, &a);
printf(“%u”, p);
printf(“%u”, &p);
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 Dereferencing Operator *
• We can access to the value stored in the variable pointed to by using the dereferencing
operator (*),

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… 88 100 … 1024 …
a p
int a = 100;
int *p = &a; Result is:
cout << a << endl; 100
cout << &a << endl; 1024
cout << p << " " << *p << endl; 1024 100
cout << &p << endl; 1032

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Lets Take an Example and See how pointers work

#include<stdio.h>
Void main()
{
Int i=3;
Int *j;
j=&i;
Printf(“i=%d”i);
Printf(“*j=%d”*j);
} Powerpoint Templates Page 12
Int i=3; Create an integer variable ‘i’ and initialize it to 3

Int *j; Create a pointer variable ‘j’- create value of ‘j’

j = &i; Initialize the pointer value of ‘j’ to the address of ‘i’

variables
Int *j Int i

M
e 3
m x100c
or
y

X1000 x1004 Powerpoint Templates

x1008 x100c x1010 x1014
Page 13
 Output screen
Printf(“i=%d” i);
Printf(“*j=%d” *j);
i=3
We know j=&i *j=3

So  *j=*(&i) value of (address of i)

(i.e.) value in address (x100c)

Int *j Int i

M
e 33
m x100c
or
y
X1000 x1004 x1008
Powerpoint Templates x100c x1010 x1014
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Example : Sum of two numbers using Pointers
#include <stdio.h>
main()
{
int first, second, *p, *q, sum;
printf("Enter two integers to add\n");
scanf("%d%d", &first, &second);
p = &first;
q = &second;
sum = *p + *q;
printf("Sum of entered numbers = %d\n",sum);
}
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 Predict the output of this code

Void main()
{
int num=10;
int* pnum=NULL;
pnum = &num;
*pnum += 20;
printf("\nNumber = %d", num);
printf("\nPointer Number = %d", *pnum);
}
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Number = 10
Pointer Number = 30

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 Work to your Brain
int a[10] = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,12} ,*p, *q , i;
p = &a[2];
q = &a[5];
i = *q - *p;
Printf(“The value of i is %d” i );
i = *p - *q;
Printf(“The value of i is %d” i );
a[2] = a[5] = 0;
Printf(“The value of i is %d” i );

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The value of i is 3
The value of i is -3
The value of i is 0

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 Work to your Brain

int a[10] = { 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,1,0 }, *p, *q;

p = &a[2];
q = p + 3;
p = q – 1;
p+ + ;
Printf(“The value of p and q are : %d , %d” *p,*q);

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The value of p and q are : 7 , 7

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 Pointer Arithmetic
There are four arithmetic operators that can be used on pointers:
++, --, +, and -

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 Pointer Arithmetic
Given a pointer p, p+n refers to the element that is offset from p by n
positions.

a 2 p - 1

a + 1 4 p
a + 2 6 p + 1
a + 3 8 p + 2
a + 4 22 p + 3

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 Programs

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 Programs
// 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 << " ";
}
}
• Output
The numbers in set are:
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Powerpoint Templates Page 26
The numbers in set backwards are:
 NULL Pointers

• assign a NULL value to a pointer variable in case you do not

have an exact address to be assigned
• done at the time of variable declaration. A pointer that is
assigned NULL is called a null pointer
#include <stdio.h>
int main () Output
{ The value of ptr is 0
int *ptr = NULL;
printf("The value of ptr Powerpoint
is : %x\n", ptr );
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 Pointer to Pointer

What is the output?

58 58 58

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THANK YOU

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