#include"stdio.h"
void print2(int ***b) {
printf("\n %d \n",***b);
***b=14;
printf("\n %d \n",***b); }
void print(int ***b) {
printf("\n %d \n",***b);
***b=11;
printf("\n %d \n",***b); }
void print1(int **b) {
printf("\n %d \n",**b);
**b=12;
printf("\n %d \n",**b); }
int main() {
int p =10; int *q = &p; int **r = &q; int ***a = &r;
printf("\n %d \n",***a);
print(a); //i.e print(&*a);
printf("\n %d \n",***a);
print1(*a); //i.e print1(&**a);
printf("\n %d \n",***a);
print2(**a); //i.e print2(&***a);
printf("\n %d \n",***a);
return 0; }
tptr.c:32:8: warning: incompatible pointer types passing
'int *' to parameter of type 'int ***'
[-Wincompatible-pointer-types]
print2(**a); //i.e print1(&***a); 1000
^~~
tptr.c:2:20: note: passing argument to parameter 'b' here
void print2(int ***b)
I think you are confused by how the stars means different things in a declaration and in expressions.
When you declare
int *q = &p;
you get a variable q of type int * or pointer to integer. The same goes for the declaration of function parameters. A function with the prototype
void f(int *q);
takes a parameter of int * or pointer to int.
When you use the declared variables, you just refer to the variable as q, without the stars. So if you want to pass your pointer to integer q to the function f, which expects a pointer to integer, just say
f(q);
Here, q is the pointer itself. If you want to get at the value pointed at, you must dereference q with the dereference operator, the star: *q.
The rationale behind the declaration syntax is that "declaration mimicks use", and the (primary) use of a pointer is to get at its contents by dereferencing. (It is a bit similar to declaring arrays with a dimension in square brackets, when you use it by looking up values with indices in square brackets.)
The address-of operator (unary &) does the opposite: It takes the address of a variable so that you can store it in a pointer. Your (somewhat contrived) example does this; the values p, *q, **r and ***a all refer to the value of p.
By way of illustration, I've simplified your example a bit:
#include <stdio.h>
void print0(int n)
{
printf("%d\n", n);
}
void print1(int *p)
{
printf("%d\n", *p);
}
void print2(int **p)
{
printf("%d\n", **p);
}
void print3(int ***p)
{
printf("%d\n", ***p);
}
int main()
{
int p = 10;
int *q = &p;
int **r = &q;
int ***a = &r;
print0(p); print1(&p);
print0(*q); print1(q); print2(&q);
print0(**r); print1(*r); print2(r); print3(&r);
print0(***a); print1(**a); print2(*a); print3(a);
return 0;
}
See how the print functions declare their arguments in the same way as they use it. And the variables with x levels of indirection are passed to printx unadorned, i.e. without any stars and without address-of operators.
(You can't take the address of a variable directly more than once, because the address is just a number, not a variable with an address itself. You can, of course, take the address indirectly if it is held in a variable, as in your example.)
Related
I am trying to understand what happens in line #3.
What is the structure of pos. I know that removing ( void *) from line 3 makes it an assignment of type int* to int (*)[2] and arrays are not directly copyable. So what is typecasting doing here?
int a[] = {1,5,-3};
int * p = &a[0];
int (*pos)[2] = ( void *)p;
printf("%d \n",(pos[0][0])); //prints 1
printf("%d \n",(pos[0][1])); //prints 5
printf("%d \n",(pos[1][0])); //prints -3
printf("%d \n",(pos[1][1])); //prints garbage
I am trying understand how pointers works in C. I am trying a simple case where an array, and a pointer to array are the arguments of a function which will copy the elements of the first one in the second one.
I have written this code
#include <stdio.h>
#define TAM 32
typedef int TablaArray[32];
void copyArray(TablaArray, TablaArray*, int);
void main(){
int t1[] = {1,2,3,4};
int t2[4];
copyArray(t1, t2,4);
for(int i = 0; i <= 3; i ++){
printf("%d - %d\n", t1[i], t2[i]);
}
}
void copyArray(TablaArray t1, TablaArray *t2, int tam){
for(int i = 0; i<tam-1; i++){
printf("%d\n", t1[i]);
*t2[i] = t1[i];
}
}
I am expecting to get something like this with the printf expression:
1 - 1
2 - 2
3 - 3
4 - 4
But definitely I don't know the way... I have been looking in stackoverflow and because I am sure this trivial question is already answered... but I didn't find it...
You need to make sure you are passing two int pointers pointing to both arrays. In your code only one of the arguments is a pointer. The code below should make it more clear:
#include <stdio.h>
void copyArray(int * arr1, int * arr2, int size);
int main(void)
{
int t1[] = {1,2,3,4};
int t2[4];
copyArray(t1, t2,4);
for(int i = 0; i <= 3; i ++)
{
printf("%d - %d\n", t1[i], t2[i]);
}
return 0;
}
void copyArray(int * arr1, int * arr2, int size)
{
for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
printf("%d\n", arr1[i]);
arr2[i] = arr1[i];
}
return;
}
Edit: in what you have written, a TablaArray * is a pointer to an array of 32 ints, while you need an int *
typedef int TablaArray[32];
is bad practice
The problem is connected with array to pointer decay and then with pointer arithmetics:
Pointer decay means that if you pass an array-object of type int x[32] as argument to a function, then it "decays" to a pointer like int *, which points to the first element of the integer array. So be aware that if you pass an int x[32]-object, it's actually passed by reference (the array is not copied) and you may alter the contents of the array in the function.
Now pointer arithmetics:
Incrementing a pointer (or accessing an array through array subscripting) implicitly does pointer arithmetics, and the number of bytes added to the initial value depends on the type of the object to which the pointer points:
typedef int Array10[10];
Array10 arr = { 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0 };
int *x = arr; // arrayOfInts decays to a pointer; x points to the &arr[0]
x++; // in terms of bytes, x is incremented by sizeof(int) bytes
int i = x[3]; // gets the int-value on the address of x + 3*sizeof(int)
Array10 *arr10ptr = arr;
arr10ptr++; // in terms of bytes, x is incremented by sizeof(Array10) bytes, which is 10*sizeof(int)
arr10ptr[3]; // 3*sizeof(Array10), i.e. 3*10*sizeof(int)
Now it should be clear why a function parameter being declared as a pointer to an array of int[32] behaves different from a function parameter being declared as an int[32].
So you could correct your program as follows, now knowing that TablaArray t2 will be a reference to the underlying array anyway:
void copyArray(TablaArray t1, TablaArray t2, int tam){
for(int i = 0; i<tam; i++){
printf("%d\n", t1[i]);
t2[i] = t1[i];
}
}
Hope it helps.
Compile with warnings enabled. If you used gcc -Wall -Werror, you would get the following errors:
luis.c:10:6: error: return type of ‘main’ is not ‘int’ [-Werror=main]
void main(){
^~~~
luis.c: In function ‘main’:
luis.c:15:19: error: passing argument 2 of ‘copyArray’ from incompatible pointer type [-Werror=incompatible-pointer-types]
copyArray(t1, t2,4);
^~
luis.c:8:6: note: expected ‘int (*)[32]’ but argument is of type ‘int *’
void copyArray(TablaArray, TablaArray*, int);
^~~~~~~~~
cc1: all warnings being treated as errors
The first one is simple, it should be int main.
The second one is a bit harder to see exactly because you used a typedef. So your prototype is now
void copyArray(int *, int (*)[32], int);
With the second value being a pointer-to-array that by itself is a construct that is not used often.
Instead, you'd just need two pointers to int here, and the size of an array should perhaps use size_t instead:
void copyArray(int *, int *, size_t);
void copyArray(int *t1, int *t2, size_t n){
for (int i = 0; i < tam; i++) {
t2[i] = t1[i];
}
}
Finally, if you use a C99, C11 compiler, it could be nice to use the variable-length arrays arrays to tell that one of the parameters tell the sizes of the arrays; for that we need to reorder the parameters:
void copyArray(size_t, int[*], int[*]);
void copyArray(size_t n, int t1[n], int t2[n]) {
...
}
void copyArray(TablaArray, TablaArray, int); // prototype
void copyArray(TablaArray t1, TablaArray t2, int tam){
for(int i = 0; i<tam; i++){
printf("%d\n", t1[i]);
t2[i] = t1[i];
}
}
this will help
// much faster
#include <string.h>
void copyArray(TablaArray t1, TablaArray t2, int tam){
memcpy(t2, t1, sizeof(t1[0]) * tam);
}
In Your Copy function you were copying the same value of T1 to T2 on the Address Of T2. you can do it with out pointers but pointers helps you to refer the Address
void noOfClients(struct noOfClients *q );
I understand that a pointer's name holds the memory address of a variable.
But, when * comes with a pointer, it represents the content of that location.
In the above line of code, when passing a by reference, we'd say:
void noOfClients( &q);
But why?
Thank you.
* has different meaning when it is used in a variable/argument declaration and when it is used as a pointer dereference operator.
In a variable/argument declaration, it declares the variable/argument to be of a pointer type.
struct noOfClients *q
declares q to be a pointer to a struct noOfClients.
When used in an expression,
*q
dereferences where q points to.
PS
void noOfClients( &q);
is not the right way to call the function. Just use:
noOfClients(&q);
That will work if q is declared as an object.
struct noOfClients q;
noOfClients(&q);
void func(foo *a);
This is a function prototype of a function taking a pointer to a foo. Some people like to write this as
void func(foo* a);
There's no difference, but you might say that the function takes a "foo-pointer", rather than a "pointer to a foo".
a is a foo*
*a is a foo
There is no difference.
because & indicates the address of a particular variable and when you deal with functions so when you pass a variable to the function so you do some changes in that variable, sometimes the reflection of value are not done in that variable but if you pass a variable with its address then reflection will be done properly just try and understand following two codes it will sure help you
without &
#include <stdio.h>
void swap(int, int);
int main()
{
int x, y;
printf("Enter the value of x and y\n");
scanf("%d%d",&x,&y);
printf("Before Swapping\nx = %d\ny = %d\n", x, y);
swap(&x, &y);
printf("After Swapping\nx = %d\ny = %d\n", x, y);
return 0;
}
void swap(int a, int b)
{
int temp;
temp = b;
b = a;
a = temp;
}
with &
#include <stdio.h>
void swap(int*, int*);
int main()
{
int x, y;
printf("Enter the value of x and y\n");
scanf("%d%d",&x,&y);
printf("Before Swapping\nx = %d\ny = %d\n", x, y);
swap(&x, &y);
printf("After Swapping\nx = %d\ny = %d\n", x, y);
return 0;
}
void swap(int *a, int *b)
{
int temp;
temp = *b;
*b = *a;
*a = temp;
}
It is known that void pointer airthmetic is invalid.
int main {
int b = 10;
void *a = (void *) &b;
void *c = a + 1;
printf ("%p\n", a);
printf ("%p\n", c);
}
Output:
0x7fff32941d1c
0x7fff32941d1d
I have read that above airthmetic is unexpected behaviour and we cannot rely on it.
Now moving on to actual question. I am taking an array of void pointers.
int main()
{
void *a[10];
void **b = a;
void **c = (a + 1);
printf ("%p\n", b);
printf ("%p\n", c);
}
Output:
0x7fff8824e050
0x7fff8824e058
Can you please explain the above behavior, where a double pointer (pointer to a void pointer is used). Is it expected behavior?
Can you please explain the above behavior, where a double pointer (pointer to a void pointer is used). Is it expected behavior?
Yes, it is expected behavior.
That's because the size of the object the pointer points to is known. It is sizeof(void*).
If the values of the pointers are expressed in purely integral values,
(a + 1) == a + 1*sizeof(void*)
It appears that on your platform, sizeof(void*) is 8.
I want to pass the B int array pointer into func function and be able to change it from there and then view the changes in main function
#include <stdio.h>
int func(int *B[10]){
}
int main(void){
int *B[10];
func(&B);
return 0;
}
the above code gives me some errors:
In function 'main':|
warning: passing argument 1 of 'func' from incompatible pointer type [enabled by default]|
note: expected 'int **' but argument is of type 'int * (*)[10]'|
EDIT:
new code:
#include <stdio.h>
int func(int *B){
*B[0] = 5;
}
int main(void){
int B[10] = {NULL};
printf("b[0] = %d\n\n", B[0]);
func(B);
printf("b[0] = %d\n\n", B[0]);
return 0;
}
now i get these errors:
||In function 'func':|
|4|error: invalid type argument of unary '*' (have 'int')|
||In function 'main':|
|9|warning: initialization makes integer from pointer without a cast [enabled by default]|
|9|warning: (near initialization for 'B[0]') [enabled by default]|
||=== Build finished: 1 errors, 2 warnings ===|
In your new code,
int func(int *B){
*B[0] = 5;
}
B is a pointer to int, thus B[0] is an int, and you can't dereference an int. Just remove the *,
int func(int *B){
B[0] = 5;
}
and it works.
In the initialisation
int B[10] = {NULL};
you are initialising anint with a void* (NULL). Since there is a valid conversion from void* to int, that works, but it is not quite kosher, because the conversion is implementation defined, and usually indicates a mistake by the programmer, hence the compiler warns about it.
int B[10] = {0};
is the proper way to 0-initialise an int[10].
Maybe you were trying to do this?
#include <stdio.h>
int func(int * B){
/* B + OFFSET = 5 () You are pointing to the same region as B[OFFSET] */
*(B + 2) = 5;
}
int main(void) {
int B[10];
func(B);
/* Let's say you edited only 2 and you want to show it. */
printf("b[0] = %d\n\n", B[2]);
return 0;
}
If you actually want to pass an array pointer, it's
#include <stdio.h>
void func(int (*B)[10]){ // ptr to array of 10 ints.
(*B)[0] = 5; // note, *B[0] means *(B[0])
//B[0][0] = 5; // same, but could be misleading here; see below.
}
int main(void){
int B[10] = {0}; // not NULL, which is for pointers.
printf("b[0] = %d\n\n", B[0]);
func(&B); // &B is ptr to arry of 10 ints.
printf("b[0] = %d\n\n", B[0]);
return 0;
}
But as mentioned in other answers, it's not that common to do this. Usually a pointer-to-array is passed only when you want to pass a 2d array, where it suddenly looks a lot clearer, as below. A 2D array is actually passed as a pointer to its first row.
void func( int B[5][10] ) // this func is actually the same as the one above!
{
B[0][0] = 5;
}
int main(void){
int Ar2D[5][10];
func(Ar2D); // same as func( &Ar2D[0] )
}
The parameter of func may be declared as int B[5][10], int B[][10], int (*B)[10], all are equivalent as parameter types.
Addendum: you can return a pointer-to-array from a function, but the syntax to declare the function is very awkward, the [10] part of the type has to go after the parameter list:
int MyArr[5][10];
int MyRow[10];
int (*select_myarr_row( int i ))[10] { // yes, really
return (i>=0 && i<5)? &MyArr[i] : &MyRow;
}
This is usually done as below, to avoid eyestrain:
typedef int (*pa10int)[10];
pa10int select_myarr_row( int i ) {
return (i>=0 && i<5)? &MyArr[i] : &MyRow;
}
In new code assignment should be,
B[0] = 5
In func(B), you are just passing address of the pointer which is pointing to array B. You can do change in func() as B[i] or *(B + i). Where i is the index of the array.
In the first code the declaration says,
int *B[10]
says that B is an array of 10 elements, each element of which is a pointer to a int. That is, B[i] is a int pointer and *B[i] is the integer it points to the first integer of the i-th saved text line.
Make use of *(B) instead of *B[0].
Here, *(B+i) implies B[i] and *(B) implies B[0], that is *(B+0)=*(B)=B[0].
#include <stdio.h>
int func(int *B){
*B = 5;
// if you want to modify ith index element in the array just do *(B+i)=<value>
}
int main(void){
int B[10] = {};
printf("b[0] = %d\n\n", B[0]);
func(B);
printf("b[0] = %d\n\n", B[0]);
return 0;
}
main()
{
int *arr[5];
int i=31, j=5, k=19, l=71, m;
arr[0]=&i;
arr[1]=&j;
arr[2]=&k;
arr[3]=&l;
arr[4]=&m;
for(m=0; m<=4; m++)
{
printf("%d",*(arr[m]));
}
return 0;
}
Using the really excellent example from Greggo, I got this to work as a bubble sort with passing an array as a pointer and doing a simple -1 manipulation.
#include<stdio.h>
void sub_one(int (*arr)[7])
{
int i;
for(i=0;i<7;i++)
{
(*arr)[i] -= 1 ; // subtract 1 from each point
printf("%i\n", (*arr)[i]);
}
}
int main()
{
int a[]= { 180, 185, 190, 175, 200, 180, 181};
int pos, j, i;
int n=7;
int temp;
for (pos =0; pos < 7; pos ++){
printf("\nPosition=%i Value=%i", pos, a[pos]);
}
for(i=1;i<=n-1;i++){
temp=a[i];
j=i-1;
while((temp<a[j])&&(j>=0)) // while selected # less than a[j] and not j isn't 0
{
a[j+1]=a[j]; //moves element forward
j=j-1;
}
a[j+1]=temp; //insert element in proper place
}
printf("\nSorted list is as follows:\n");
for(i=0;i<n;i++)
{
printf("%d\n",a[i]);
}
printf("\nmedian = %d\n", a[3]);
sub_one(&a);
return 0;
}
I need to read up on how to encapsulate pointers because that threw me off.
The argument of func is accepting double-pointer variable.
Hope this helps...
#include <stdio.h>
int func(int **B){
}
int main(void){
int *B[10];
func(B);
return 0;
}
In the function declaration you have to type as
VOID FUN(INT *a[]);
/*HERE YOU CAN TAKE ANY FUNCTION RETURN TYPE HERE I CAN TAKE VOID AS THE FUNCTION RETURN TYPE FOR THE FUNCTION FUN*/
//IN THE FUNCTION HEADER WE CAN WRITE AS FOLLOWS
void fun(int *a[])
//in the function body we can use as
a[i]=var