Introduction to Pointers
Examples:
1. Address of variables of different types memory map
2. Address of a variable code
3. Pointer variable
4. The address (&) and indirection (*) operators
5. Dereferencing an uninitialized pointer
6. Pointer variable
7. Pointer a derived data type
8. Why pointers?
9. Who is the inventor of the pointer variable concept?
1. Address of variables of different types memory map
int
char
int
score = 100;
grade = 'A';
stu_ID;
Memory: a sequence of bytes; each byte has its own address
10000101 01000001 11010010 00100011 11010010 11011010 011001011 00110101 01000001 00000000 00000000 00000000 01100100
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
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Type
int
char
int
Name__
score
grade
stu_ID
Address_
0x28ff1c
0x28ff1b
0x28ff14
Value_____
100
A
8406144 // junk
1c = 1*16 + 12 = 28
1b = 1*16 + 11 = 27
14 = 1*16 + 4 = 20
2
int
char
int
score = 100;
grade = 'A';
stu_ID;
Memory: a sequence of bytes; each byte has its own address
stu_ID
grade
score
10000101 01000001 11010010 00100011 11010010 11011010 011001011 00110101 01000001 00000000 00000000 00000000 01100100
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Type
Name__
Address_
Value_____
int
score
0x28ff1c
100
char
grade
0x28ff1b
A
int
stu_ID
0x28ff14
8406144 // junk
The address of a variable is the address of its first byte.
1c = 1*16 + 12 = 28
1b = 1*16 + 11 = 27
14 = 1*16 + 4 = 20
3
2. Address of a variable
int a = 10;
cout << a << endl;
cout << &a << endl;
a
int a = 10;
10
10
0x28ff1c
cout << a << endl;
cout << &a << endl;
Output:
10
0x28ff1c
3. Pointer Variable
a
int a = 10;
int *ptr;
ptr = &a;
cout
cout
cout
cout
<<
<<
<<
<<
a << endl;
ptr << endl;
&ptr << endl;
*ptr << endl;
10
10
0x28ff1c
ptr
0x28ff1c
0x28ff1c
0x28ff18
a
10
10
int a = 10;
int *ptr;
0x28ff1c
ptr = &a;
cout
cout
cout
cout
<<
<<
<<
<<
a << endl;
ptr << endl;
&ptr << endl;
*ptr << endl;
ptr
10
0x28ff1c
0x28ff18
10
0x28ff1c
0x28ff1c
0x28ff18
4. The address (&) and indirection (*) operators
b
25
25
int a = 10, b;
int *ptr;
ptr = &a;
ptr
&a
&a
cin >> a;
b = a + 1;
a++;
A pointer may be used instead of a variable's
name to access data.
Rewrite the last three statements using ptr.
8
b
25
25
int a = 10, b;
int *ptr;
ptr = &a;
cin >> a;
b = a + 1;
a++;
ptr
&a
&a
cin >> *ptr; // 25
b
25
25
int a = 10, b;
int *ptr;
ptr = &a;
cin >> a;
b = a + 1;
a++;
ptr
&a
&a
cin >> *ptr;
b = *ptr + 1; // 26
10
b
25
25
int a = 10, b;
int *ptr;
ptr = &a;
cin >> a;
b = a + 1;
a++;
ptr
&a
&a
cin >> *ptr;
b = *ptr + 1; // 26
*ptr++; // ???
11
b
25
25
int a = 10, b;
int *ptr;
ptr = &a;
cin >> a;
b = a + 1;
a++;
ptr
&a
&a
cin >> *ptr;
b = *ptr + 1; // 26
(*ptr)++;
// must use ( )
12
5. What is wrong?
double pi = 3.14;
double *ptr;
cout
cout
cout
cout
<< pi
<< &ptr
<< ptr
<< *ptr
<<
<<
<<
<<
endl;
endl;
endl;
endl;
pi
3.14
3.14
ptr
13
5. What is wrong?
Never dereference an uninitialized pointer!
double pi = 3.14;
double *ptr;
cout << pi
<< endl; // OK
cout << &ptr << endl; // OK
cout << ptr << endl; // OK
cout << *ptr << endl; // !
// never dereference an uninitialized pointer!
pi
3.14
3.14
ptr
Output
3.14
0x28ff14
0x784480
6.79231e+199
14
6. What is a pointer variable?
15
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
16
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
double
n = 75.99;
n
75.99
0x12ff78
17
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
double n = 75.99;
double *ptr;
n
75.99
0x12ff78
ptr
0x12ff74
18
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
double n = 75.99;
double *ptr;
n
75.99
0x12ff78
ptr
ptr
= &n;
0x12ff78
0x12ff74
19
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
n
75.99
0x12ff78
double n = 75.99;
double *ptr;
ptr
ptr = &n;
cout << n << " " << &n
0x12ff78
<< " " << ptr;
0x12ff74
20
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
s
double n = 75.99;
double *ptr;
double s;
ptr = &n;
cout << n << " " << &n
0x12ff6c
n
75.99
0x12ff78
ptr
0x12ff78
<< " " << ptr;
0x12ff74
21
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
s
double n = 75.99;
double *ptr;
double s;
ptr = &n;
cout << n << " " << &n
ptr = &s;
0x12ff6c
n
75.99
0x12ff78
ptr
0x12ff6c
<< " " << ptr;
0x12ff74
22
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
s
double n = 75.99;
double *ptr;
double s;
ptr
cout
ptr
*ptr
= &n;
<< n << " " << &n
= &s;
= 2 * num;
n
75.99
0x12ff78
151.98
0x12ff6c
ptr
0x12ff6c
<< " " << ptr;
0x12ff74
23
A pointer variable is a variable that can store an
address.
s
double n = 75.99;
double *ptr;
double s;
ptr
cout
ptr
*ptr
cout
= &n;
<< n << " " << &n
= &s;
= 2 * num;
<< s << " " << &s
n
75.99
0x12ff78
151.98
0x12ff6c
ptr
0x12ff6c
<< " " << ptr;
0x12ff74
<< " " << ptr;
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7. A pointer type is a derived data type.
True/False
double a = 75.99;
double *p = &a;
int
int
b = 25;
*q = &b;
char
char
c = 'A';
*r = &c;
25
True/False
A pointer type is a derived data type.
A pointer type is a data type build from one of
the existing data types.
double a = 75.99;
double *p = &a;
int
int
b = 25;
*q = &b;
char
char
c = 'A';
*r = &c;
26
8. Why pointers?
27
Provide efficient techniques for manipulating
data in arrays.
28
Provide efficient techniques for manipulating
data in arrays.
They are the basis for dynamic allocation of
memory.
29
Provide efficient techniques for manipulating
data in arrays.
They are the basis for dynamic allocation of
memory.
They could be used in functions for reference
parameters.
30
9*. Who is the inventor of the pointer variable concept?
31
Harold W. Lawson "is the inventor
of the pointer variable concept
introduced into PL/I (1964) and later
into other widely utilized
programming languages"
Harold W. (Bud) Lawson was named one of three IEEE
Computer Society
Computer Pioneer Award winners for 2000, for inventing
the pointer variable and introducing this concept into PL/I,
thus providing for the first time the capability to flexibly treat
linked lists in a general-purpose high-level language.
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