Introduction To Programming: Engr. Rashid Farid Chishti

Introduction to Programming
Engr. Rashid Farid Chishti

[email protected]
Chapter 10: Pointers
International Islamic University H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan

http://www.iiu.edu.pk
Pointers
Pointers are a special type of variables in

which a memory address is stored.
They contain a memory address, not the value
of the variable.
Pointers are an important and essential tool
for increasing the power of C++. A notable
example is the creation of data structures
such as linked lists and binary trees.
In fact, several key features of C++, such as
virtual functions, the new operator, and the
this pointer require the use of pointers.
Address and Pointers
The ideas behind pointers are not complicated.

Heres the first key concept: Every byte in
the computers memory has an address.
Addresses are numbers, just as they are for
houses on a street. The numbers start at 0 and
go up from there 1, 2, 3, and so on.
If you have 1KB of memory, the highest address
is 1023. (Of course you have much more.)
Your program, when it is loaded into memory,
occupies a certain range of these addresses.
That means that every variable and every
function in your program starts at a
Particular address.
You can find the address occupied by a
variable by using the address-of operator &.
Address and Pointers
The Address-of Operator &

// varaddr.cpp
// addresses of variables
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int var1 = 11; //define and initialize
char var2 = 'A'; //three variables
float var3 = 33.34;
cout << &var1 << endl //print the addresses
<< &var2 << endl //of these variables
<< &var3 << endl;
system("PAUSE"); return 0;
}
Pointer Variable
// ptrvar.cpp
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main(){
int var1 = 11; // two integer variables
int var2 = 22;
cout << &var1 << endl //print addresses of variables
<< &var2 << endl << endl;
int* ptr;
// pointer to integers
ptr = &var1;
// pointer points to var1
cout << ptr << endl; // print pointer value
ptr = &var2;
cout << ptr << endl; // print pointer value
system("PAUSE"); return 0; }
Pointer Variable
// accessing the variable pointed to
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
int var1 = 11;
// two integer variables
int var2 = 22;
int* ptr;
ptr = &var1;
cout << *ptr << endl; // print contents of pointer (11)
ptr = &var2;
cout << *ptr << endl; // print contents of pointer (22)
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}
Pointer Variable
// other access using pointers
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
int var1, var2;
// two integer variables
int* ptr;
ptr = &var1;
// set pointer to address of var1
*ptr = 37;
// same as var1 = 37
var2 = *ptr;
// same as var2 = var1
cout << var1 << endl; // verify var2 is 37
cout << var2 << endl; // verify var2 is 37
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}
Pointer to void
// pointers to type void
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main(){
int intvar;
// integer variable
float flovar;
// float variable
int* ptrint;
// define pointer to int
float* ptrflo;
// define pointer to float
void* ptrvoid;
// define pointer to void
ptrint = &intvar; // ok, int* to int*
// ptrint = &flovar;
// error, float* to int*
// ptrflo = &intvar;
// error, int* to float*
ptrflo = &flovar;
// ok, float* to float*
ptrvoid = &intvar;
// ok, int* to void*
ptrvoid = &flovar;
// ok, float* to void*
Pointers and Arrays

// array accessed with pointer notation
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
// array
int intarray[5] = { 31, 54, 77, 52, 93 };
for (int j=0; j<5; j++) // for each element,
cout << *(intarray+j) << endl; // print value
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}
Pointer Arithmatic
// Adding and Subtracting a pointer variable
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main(){
int intarray[] = { 31, 54, 77, 52, 93 }; //array
int* ptrint;
// pointer to int
ptrint = intarray;
// points to intarray
cout << *ptrint << endl;
// print at index 0;
ptrint = ptrint + 2;
ptrint++; cout << *ptrint << endl;
ptrint = ptrint-2;
ptrint--; cout << *ptrint << endl;
}
Pointer and Functions

// arguments passed by pointer
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
void centimize(double*);
// prototype
int main()
{
double var = 10.0;
// var has value of 10 inches
cout << "var = " << var << " inches" << endl;
centimize(&var);
// change var to centimeters
cout << "var = " << var << " centimeters" << endl;
}
void centimize(double* ptrd) // store the address in ptdr
{
*ptrd *= 2.54;
// *ptrd is the same as var
}
Pointers to String Constants

// strings defined using array and pointer notation
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main(){
// str1 is an address, that is a pointer constant
char str1[] = "Defined as an array" ;
// while str2 is a pointer variable. it can be changed
char* str2 = "Defined as a pointer" ;
cout << str1 << endl; // display both strings
cout << str2 << endl;
// str1++; // cant do this; str1 is a constant
str2++; // this is OK, str2 is a pointer
cout << str2 << endl; // now str2 starts efined...
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}
Strings as Function Arguments

// displays a string with pointer notation
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
void dispstr(char*); // prototype
int main()
{
char str[] = "Idle people have the least leisure." ;
dispstr(str);
// display the string
}
void dispstr(char* ps){
while( *ps )
// until null ('\0') character,
cout << *ps++;
// print characters
cout << endl;
}
Copying a String Using Pointers

// copies one string to another with pointers
#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
void copystr(char*, const char*); // function declaration
int main(){
char* str1 = "Self-conquest is the greatest victory." ;
char str2[80];
// empty string
copystr(str2, str1);
// copy str1 to str2
cout << str2 << endl;
// display str2
}
void copystr(char* dest, const char* src){
while( *src ){
// until null ('\0') character
*dest = *src ;
// copy chars from src to dest
dest++; src++ ;
// increment pointers
}
*dest = '\0' ;} // terminate dest
The const Modifier and Pointers
The use of the const modifier with pointer declarations can be

confusing, because it can mean one of two things, depending on
where its placed. The following statements show the two
possibilities:
const int* cptrInt;
// cptrInt is a pointer to constant int
int* const ptrcInt;
// ptrcInt is a constant pointer to int
In the first declaration, you cannot change the value of whatever
cptrInt points to, although you can change cptrInt itself.
In the second declaration, you can change what ptrcInt points to,
but you cannot change the value of ptrcInt itself.
You can remember the difference by reading from right to left, as
indicated in the comments.
The const Modifier and Pointers

#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main(){
const int a = 5; int b = 10;
const int* cptrInt; //cptrInt is a pointer to constant int
// ptrcInt is a constant pointer to int
int* const ptrcInt = &b;
cptrInt = &a;
// *cptrInt = 25; // can not change a constant value
*ptrcInt = 100;
cptrInt = &b;
// ptrcInt = &a; // can not change address of pointer
cout << "*ptrcInt = " << *ptrcInt << endl;
cout << "*cptrInt = " << *cptrInt << endl;

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What are pointers and how do they work?

What are pointers and how do they work?

How do you declare and use pointer variables?

How do you declare and use pointer variables?

Introduction to Programming

Engr. Rashid Farid Chishti

International Islamic University H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan

Pointers are a special type of variables in

Address and Pointers

The ideas behind pointers are not complicated.

Address and Pointers

The Address-of Operator &

Pointers and Arrays

Pointer and Functions

Pointers to String Constants

Strings as Function Arguments

Copying a String Using Pointers

The const Modifier and Pointers

The use of the const modifier with pointer declarations can be

The const Modifier and Pointers

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