ROHINI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
POINTERS
Pointer is a variable that stores the address of a variable or a function. Pointer is a derived
data type. It is declared same as other variables but prior to variable name an asterisk „*‟operator
is used.
Benefits of Pointers
Reduce the length of the program.
Support dynamic memory management.
Pointers save memory space.
More efficient in handling arrays.
Execution speed increased.
Used to return multiple values from a function.
Declaring a Pointer
The pointer variable is declared by using * operator.
syntax
datatype * pointervariable;
CS8251 PROGRAMMING IN C
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Example:
char *ptr;
float *P1;
Pointer Initialization
The process of assigning the address of a variable to a pointer variable is known as
initialization. This is done through (&) ampersand operator.
Syntax:
Pointer variable = & variablename;
Example:
int n, *p;
p = &n;
POINTER OPERATORS
Pointer is a variable that stores the address of a variable or a function. There are 2 pointer
operators in C. They are,
1. Referencing operator
2. Dereferencing operator
Operator Operator Name Purpose
Dereferencing Operator
* OR Gives Value stored at Particular address
indirection operator
Referencing Operator
& OR Gives Address of Variable
address of (&) operator
Pointer Operators
Referencing operator: (&)
& operator is a unary operator that returns the memory address of its operand. It is used to
find the address of variable For example, if var is an integer variable, then &var is its address.
Reference operator is also known as address of (&) operator.
Eg) float a=12.5;
float *p;
p=&a;
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a 12.5
1000
1000
P
2000
Pointer P Referencing the variable a
Dereferencing operator
The second operator is indirection Operator *, and it is the complement of &. It is a unary
operator that returns the value of the variable located at the address specified by its operand. This
operator is also known as indirection operator or value- at-operator
Example
int b;
12 int a=12;
a int *p;
1000 p=&a;
b=*p; \\value pointed by p(or)value
at 1000=12,
1000
p so b=12
2000
Pointer P Dereferencing the variable a
Program:
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main()
{
int Mark = 73,
int *Ptr;
Ptr = &Mark;
printf(“The value of the variable Mark = %d \n”, *Ptr);
printf(“The address of the variable Mark = %d \n”, Ptr);
getch();
}
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ROHINI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
Output:
The value of the variable Mark = 73
The address of the variable Mark = 4082
For every execution time the compiler may allot the different memory. So, the address of
the variable may be different when we execute the program next time.
NULL Pointer
The pointer variable that is assigned NULL value is called Null pointer. NULL pointer is
a special pointer that does not point anywhere. It does not hold the address of any object or
function. It has numeric value 0
Example: for Null Pointer
int *ptr = 0;
( or )
int *ptr = NULL;
Use of null pointer:
As an error value
As a sentinel value
To stop indirection in a recursive strucure
POINTER ARITHMETIC
Pointer is a variable that stores the address of a variable or a function.
Valid operation
Pointer can be added with a constant
Pointer can be subtracted with a Constant
Pointer can be Incremented or Decremented
Not Valid operation
Two pointers cannot be added
Two pointers cannot be subtracted
Two pointers cannot be multiplied
Two pointers cannot be divided
Example:
int a=10
int *p=&a;
CS8251 PROGRAMMING IN C
ROHINI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
p=p+1;
The pointer holds the address 2000. This value is added with 1.
The data type size of the constant is added with the address. p= 2000+(2*1)=2002
The following table shows the pointer arithmetic.
S.no Operator Type of Type of Result Example Initial Final Description
operand 1 operand 2 type value value
1 Addition (+) Pointer to int Pointer Result =
type T to type initial value
T of ptr +int
operand *
sizeof (T)
Eg. int * int int * p=p+5 p=2000 2010 2000+5*2=
2010
2 Increment Pointer to Pointer Post
(++) type T - to type increment
T Result =
initial value
of pointer
Pre-
increment
Result =
initial value
of pointer +
sizeof (T)
Eg. post float* - float* ftr=p++ ftr=? ftr=2000
increment p=2000 p=2004 Value of ptr =
Value of ptr
+sizeof(T)
3 Subtraction Pointer to int Pointer Result =
- type T to type initial value
T of ptr - int
operand *
sizeof (T)
E.g. float* int float* p=p-1 p=2000 1996 2000 – 1 * 4
= 2000-
4=1996
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4 decrement Pointer to Pointer Post
type T - to type decrement
T Result =
initial value
of pointer
Pre-
decrement
Result =
initial value
of pointer –
sizeof(T)
Eg.pre float* - float* ftr=--p ftr=? ftr=1996 Value of ptr =
decrement p=2000 p=1996 Value of ptr –
sizeof(T)
Pointer Arithmetic
Program : Addition of Integers with Pointer
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main ()
{
int a[5] = {10, 5, 20, 5, 2};
int i, sum = 0
for (i = 0; i < 5; i++)
sum = sum+*(a + i);
printf (“Total = %d”, sum);
getch();
}
Output:
Total = 42
Program : Subtraction of Pointers
#include<stdio.h>
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#include<conio.h>
void main ()
{
double a[2], *p, *q;
p = a; // Assign a[0] address to p
q = p + 1; // Assign a[1] address to q
printf(“No. Of elements between p & q = %d”, q - p);
getch();
}
Output:
No. Of elements between p & q = 2
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