C – Pointer

 Pointers in C language is a variable that stores/points the address of another variable. A

Pointer in C is used to allocate memory dynamically i.e. at run time.
 The pointer variable might be belonging to any of the data type such as int, float, char,
double, short etc.
 Pointer Syntax : data_type *var_name; Example : int *p; char *p;
 Reference operator (&) and Dereference operator (*)
 Reference operator (&)  It gives you the address of a variable.
 Dereference operator (*).  that gets you the value from the address

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT POINTERS IN C:

 Normal variable stores the value whereas pointer variable stores the address of the
variable.
 The content of the C pointer always be a whole number i.e. address.
 Always C pointer is initialized to null, i.e. int *p = null.
 The value of null pointer is 0.
 & symbol is used to get the address of the variable.
 * symbol is used to get the value of the variable that the pointer is pointing to.
 If a pointer in C is assigned to NULL, it means it is pointing to nothing.
 Two pointers can be subtracted to know how many elements are available between these
two pointers.
 But, Pointer addition, multiplication, division are not allowed.
 The size of any pointer is 2 byte (for 16 bit compiler).
EXAMPLE PROGRAM FOR POINTERS IN C:

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int *ptr, q;
q = 50;
/* address of q is assigned to ptr */
ptr = &q;
/* display q's value using ptr variable */
printf("%d", *ptr);
return 0;
}

Example To Demonstrate Working of Pointers

/* Source code to demonstrate, handling of pointers in C program */

#include <stdio.h>
int main(){
int* pc;
int c;
c=22;
printf("Address of c:%u\n",&c);
printf("Value of c:%d\n\n",c);
pc=&c;
printf("Address of pointer pc:%u\n",pc);
printf("Content of pointer pc:%d\n\n",*pc);
c=11;
printf("Address of pointer pc:%u\n",pc);
printf("Content of pointer pc:%d\n\n",*pc);
*pc=2;
 printf("Address of c:%u\n",&c);
printf("Value of c:%d\n\n",c);
return 0;
}

Output

Address of c: 2686784
Value of c: 22
Address of pointer pc: 2686784
Content of pointer pc: 22
Address of pointer pc: 2686784
Content of pointer pc: 11
Address of c: 2686784
Value of c: 2

C - Array of pointers
#include <stdio.h>

const int MAX = 3;

int main () {

int var[] = {10, 100, 200};

int i;

for (i = 0; i < MAX; i++) {

printf("Value of var[%d] = %d\n", i, var[i] );
}

return 0;
}
When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following
result −
Value of var[0] = 10
Value of var[1] = 100
Value of var[2] = 200
#include <stdio.h>

const int MAX = 3;

int main () {

int var[] = {10, 100, 200};

int i, *ptr[MAX];

for ( i = 0; i < MAX; i++) {

ptr[i] = &var[i]; /* assign the address of integer. */
}

for ( i = 0; i < MAX; i++) {

printf("Value of var[%d] = %d\n", i, *ptr[i] );
}

return 0;
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following
result −
Value of var[0] = 10
Value of var[1] = 100
Value of var[2] = 200
Question 1
What will be the output?
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int a[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5} ;
int *ptr;
ptr = a;
printf(" %d ", *( ptr + 1) );

return 0;
}
output 2
Description:
It is possible to assign an array to a pointer. so, when ptr = a; is executed the address of element
a[0] is assigned to ptr and *ptr gives the value of element a[0]. When *(ptr + n) is executed the
value at the nth location in the array is accessed.
Question 2
What will be the output?
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int a = 5;
int *ptr ;
ptr = &a;
*ptr = *ptr * 3;
printf("%d", a);

return 0;
}
Output: 15
Description:
ptr = &a; copies the address of a in ptr making *ptr = a and the statement *ptr = *ptr * 3; can be
written as a = a * 3; making a as 15.
Question 2
What will be the output?
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int i = 6, *j, k;
j = &i;
printf("%d\n", i * *j * i + *j);
return 0;
}
Output:222
Description:
According to BODMAS rule multiplication is given higher priority. In the expression i * *j * i +
*j;, i * *j *i will be evaluated first and gives result 216 and then adding *j i.e., i = 6 the output
becomes 222.
Question 4
What will be the output?
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int x = 20, *y, *z;
// Assume address of x is 500 and
// integer is 4 byte size
y = &x;
z = y;
*y++;
*z++;
x++;
printf("x = %d, y = %d, z = %d \n", x, y, z);
return 0;
}
Output:x=21 y=504 z=504
Description:
In the beginning, the address of x is assigned to y and then y to z, it makes y and z similar. when
the pointer variables are incremented there value is added with the size of the variable, in this
case, y and z are incremented by 4.

Question 5
What will be the output?
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int x = 10;
int *y, **z;
y = &x;
z = &y;
printf("x = %d, y = %d, z = %d\n", x, *y, **z);
return 0;
}
Output:x=10 y=10 z=10
Description:
*y is a pointer variable whereas **z is a pointer to a pointer variable. *y gives the value at the
address it holds and **z searches twice i.e., it first takes the value at the address it holds and then
gives the value at that address.
22.What will be the output of following program ?
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
char *str []={"AAAAA","BBBBB","CCCCC","DDDDD"};
char **sptr []={str+3,str+2,str+1,str};
char ***pp;
 pp=sptr;
++pp;
printf("%s",**++pp+2);
return 0;
}
BBBBB
CCCCC
BBB
Error
Answer
Correct Answer - 3
BBB
*str is a array pointer of string, **sptr is array pointer(double pointer) that is pointing to str
strings in reverse order. ***pp also a pointer that is pointing sptr base address.
++pp will point to 1st index of sptr that contain str+2 ("CCCCC").
in printf("%s",**++pp+2); ++pp will point to str+1, and **++pp, value stored @ str+1
("BBBBB).
and (**++pp)+2 will point the 2nd index of "BBBBB", hence BBB will print.