POINTERS

• What is pointers ?
In C++, pointers are variables that store the memory
addresses of other variables.

• Address in C++ :

If we have a variable var in our program, &var will give us its

address in the memory. To Address the variables use ampersand
operator (&) .
 • HOW WE CAN ASSIGNING
HOW CAN WE DECLARE ADDRESSES TO POINTERS ?
THE VARIABLES IN • Here is how we can assign addresses
POINTER ? to pointers:
THE GENERAL FORM TO • int var = 5;
DECLARE THE POINTER IS :
• int* pointVar;
type *variableName ;
• // assign address of var to
For Example : pointVar pointer
int *x; • pointVar = &var;
Char *ch;
 FOR EXAMPLE:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
// declare variables
int var1 = 3; • Output
int var2 = 24; • Address of var1: 0x7fff5fbff8ac
int var3 = 17;
// print address of var1
• Address of var2: 0x7fff5fbff8a8
cout << “Address of var1: “<< &var1 << endl; • Address of var3: 0x7fff5fbff8a4
// print address of var2
cout << “Address of var2: “ << &var2 << endl;
// print address of var3
cout << “Address of var3: “ << &var3 << endl; }
Changing Value Pointed by Pointers
If pointVar points to the address of var,
we can change the value of var by using *pointVar. • ADVANTAGES OF POINTER:
For example,
• Pointers save the memory.
int var = 5;
int* pointVar; • Pointers reduce the length and
// assign address of var complexity of a program.
pointVar = &var; • Pointers allow the passing of
// change value at address pointVar arrays and strings to function
*pointVar = 1; more efficiently.
cout << var << endl; • Pointers make it possible to
// Output: 1 return more than one value from
Here, pointVar and &var have the same address, the function.
the value of var will also be
changed when *pointVar is changed. • Pointers increase the processing
 NULL POINTERS
If there is no exact address that is
to be assigned, then the pointer
variable can be assigned a NULL.
It should be done during the
declaration. Such a pointer is
known as a null pointer. Its value
is zero and is defined in many
standard libraries like iostream
•
• #include <iostream>
• using namespace std;
• int main() {
• int *ip = NULL;
• cout << “Value of ip is: ” <<ip;
• return 0;
• }
• Output : Value of ip is: 000000
 DANGLING POINTERS
• When a pointer is pointing at the memory #include<iostream>
address of a variable but after some time that Using namespace std;
variable is deleted from that memory location int main() {
while the pointer is still pointing to it, then int *ptr1 = new int;
such a pointer is known as a dangling pointer *ptr1 = 1;
. int *ptr2 = new int;
*ptr2= 8;
• A pointer pointing to a memory location that
Delete = ptr2;
has been deleted (or freed) is called dangling
pointer Ptr2 = NULL;
}
 MEMORY LEAKAGE

• Memory leakage occurs in C++ when programmers

allocates memory by using new keyword and forgets
to deallocate the memory by using delete() function
or delete[] operator. One of the most memory
leakage occurs in C++ by using wrong delete
operator.
 • #include <iostream>
• using namespace std;
POINTERS AND • int main() {

ARRAYS? • int *ip;

• int arr[ ] = { 10, 34, 13, 76, 5, 46 };
Arrays and pointers work based on a • ip = arr;
related concept. There are different things • for (int x = 0; x < 6; x++) {
to note when working with arrays having
pointers. • cout << *ip << endl;
• The array name itself denotes the base • ip++;
address of the array. This means that to • }
assign the address of an array to a pointer,
you should not use an ampersand (&). • return 0;
p = arr; • }