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    Programming Fundamentals: Pointers

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    kanwal hafeez
    The document discusses pointers in C++. It defines pointers as variables that store memory addresses and notes they are one of the most powerful tools for C++ programmers. It explains that variables are stored at unique memory locations, and pointers can store these memory addresses. The document outlines key pointer concepts like address-of operator, dereference operator, initializing pointers, distinguishing pointers, addresses, and variable values.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Programming Fundamentals: Pointers

    Uploaded by

    kanwal hafeez
    42 views13 pages
    The document discusses pointers in C++. It defines pointers as variables that store memory addresses and notes they are one of the most powerful tools for C++ programmers. It explains that variables are stored at unique memory locations, and pointers can store these memory addresses. The document outlines key pointer concepts like address-of operator, dereference operator, initializing pointers, distinguishing pointers, addresses, and variable values.

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    Pointers_PF

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    The document discusses pointers in C++. It defines pointers as variables that store memory addresses and notes they are one of the most powerful tools for C++ programmers. It explains that variables are stored at unique memory locations, and pointers can store these memory addresses. The document outlines key pointer concepts like address-of operator, dereference operator, initializing pointers, distinguishing pointers, addresses, and variable values.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    42 views13 pages

    Programming Fundamentals: Pointers

    Uploaded by

    kanwal hafeez
    The document discusses pointers in C++. It defines pointers as variables that store memory addresses and notes they are one of the most powerful tools for C++ programmers. It explains that variables are stored at unique memory locations, and pointers can store these memory addresses. The document outlines key pointer concepts like address-of operator, dereference operator, initializing pointers, distinguishing pointers, addresses, and variable values.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 13

    Programming Fundamentals

    Pointers
    Pointers
    • One of the most powerful tools available

    to a C++ programmer is the ability to

    manipulate computer memory directly

    by using pointers

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 2


    What Is a Pointer?
    • A pointer is a variable that stores a memory
    address
    • Computer memory is divided into sequentially
    numbered memory locations
    • Each variable is located at a unique location
    in memory, known as its address
    • The address stored in a pointer usually
    corresponds to the position in memory where
    a variable is located

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 3


    What Is a Pointer?

    int num = 10;

    num

    10
    709 710 711 712 713

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 4


    Address-Of (&) Operator
    • Before looking into Pointers, lets look at
    “address-of” operator (&)
    • If we use address-of operator before a
    variable name it returns the memory address
    of that variable
    int num = 10;
    cout<<"Address:"<<&num<<endl;

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 5


    Storing the Address in a
    Pointer
    • Every variable has an address
    • We can store that address in a pointer
    • For declaring a pointer we use the character asterisk
    (*) before a variable name with the type of the
    address location which will be saved in it
    • For example: if pNum is a pointer to an integer in
    memory then
    int *pNum;

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 6


    Initializing a Pointer
    • A pointer whose value is zero is called a null pointer
    int *pNum = 0;
    • All pointers when they are created, should be
    initialized to something. If you don't know what you
    want to assign to the pointer, assign 0
    • A pointer that is not initialized is called a “wild
    pointer”
    • Wild pointers are very dangerous

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 7


    int num = 10;
    num

    10
    709 710 711 712 713

    int *pNum = &num;


    pNum

    711
    The Indirection
    Operator
    • The indirection operator (*) is also called the
    dereference operator

    • When a pointer is dereferenced, the value at the


    address stored by the pointer is retrieved
    cout<<"Value where pointing:” <<*pNum<<endl;

    *pNum = 20;

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 9


    The Indirection
    Operator
    • From this example we can see that the
    indirection Operator means

    “the value stored at”

    • Keep in mind that symbol * is used in two


    distinct ways with pointers: declaration and
    dereference

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 10


    The Indirection
    Operator
    • When a pointer is declared, the asterisk (*)
    indicates that it is a pointer, not a normal variable
    int *pNum;

    • When the pointer is dereferenced, the indirection


    operator indicates the value at the memory
    location stored in the pointer
    cout<<*pNum;

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 11


    Pointers, Addresses, and
    Variables

    • It is important to distinguish between a


    pointer, the address that the pointer holds,
    and the value at the address held by the
    pointer
    • This is the source of much of the confusion
    about pointers
    • Consider the next example

    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 12


    Pointers, Addresses, and
    Variables
    int theVariable = 5;
    int * pPointer = &theVariable;

    • TheVariable is declared to be an integer variable


    initialized with the value 5
    • pPointer is declared to be a pointer to an integer; it is
    initialized with the address of theVariable
    • The address that pPointer holds is the address of
    theVariable
    • The value at the address that pPointer holds is 5
    Programming Fundamentals- Pointers 13

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