Data Structure
Dr. Suhail Owais
Pointers and Dynamic Arrays
Slide 1
Pointers
A pointer is the memory address of a variable Memory addresses can be used as names for variables
If a variable is stored in three memory locations, the address of the first can be used as a name for the variable. When a variable is used as a call-by-reference argument, its address is passed
Slide 2
Pointers Tell Where To Find A Variable
An address used to tell where a variable is stored in memory is a pointer
Pointers "point" to a variable by telling where the variable is located
Slide 3
Declaring Pointers
Pointer variables must be declared to have a pointer type
Example: To declare a pointer variable p that can "point" to a variable of type double: double
*p;
The asterisk identifies p as a pointer variable
Slide 4
Multiple Pointer Declarations
To declare multiple pointers in a statement, use the asterisk before each pointer variable
Example: int *p1, *p2, v1, v2; p1 and p2 point to variables of type int v1 and v2 are variables of type int
An easier and less error-prone
typedef int* IntPtr; IntPtr p1, p2, v1, v2
Slide 5
The address of Operator
The & operator can be used to determine the address of a variable which can be assigned to a pointer variable
Example:
p1 = &v1;
p1 is now a pointer to v1 v1 can be called v1 or "the variable pointed to by p1"
Slide 6
The Dereferencing Operator
C++ uses the * operator in yet another way with pointers
The phrase "The variable pointed to by p" is translated into C++ as *p Here the * is the dereferencing operator
p is said to be dereferenced
Slide 7
A Pointer Example
v1 = 0; v1 and *p1 now refer to p1 = &v1; the same variable *p1 = 42; cout << v1 << endl; cout << *p1 << endl; output:
42 42
Slide 8
Pointer Assignment
The assignment operator = is used to assign the value of one pointer to another
Example:
If p1 still points to v1 (previous slide) then p2 = p1; causes *p2, *p1, and v1 all to name the same variable
Slide 9
Caution! Pointer Assignments
Some care is required making assignments to pointer variables
p1= p3; // changes the location that p1 "points" to
*p1 = *p3; // changes the value at the location that // p1 "points" to
Display 1
Slide 10
The new Operator
Using pointers, variables can be manipulated even if there is no identifier for them
To create a pointer to a new "nameless" variable of type int: p1 = new int; The new variable is referred to as *p1 *p1 can be used anyplace an integer variable can cin >> *p1; *p1 = *p1 + 7;
Slide 11
Dynamic Variables
Variables created using the new operator are called dynamic variables
Dynamic variables are created by new and destroyed by delete while the program is running
Slide 12
new and Class Types
Using operator new with class types calls a constructor as well as allocating memory
If MyType is a class type, then MyType *myPtr; // creates a pointer to a // variable of type MyType myPtr = new MyType; // calls the default constructor myPtr = new MyType (32.0, 17); // calls Mytype(double, int);
Slide 13
Basic Memory Management
An area of memory called the freestore is reserved for dynamic variables
New dynamic variables use memory in the freestore If all of the freestore is used, calls to new will fail When variables are no longer needed, they can be deleted and the memory they used is returned to the freestore
Unneeded memory can be recycled
Slide 14
The delete Operator
When dynamic variables are no longer needed, delete them to return memory to the freestore
Example: delete p; The value of p is now undefined and the memory used by the variable that p pointed to is back in the freestore
Slide 15
Dangling Pointers
Using delete on a pointer variable destroys the dynamic variable pointed to If another pointer variable was pointing to the dynamic variable, that variable is also undefined Undefined pointer variables are called dangling pointers
Dereferencing a dangling pointer (*p) is usually disastrous
Slide 16
Automatic Variables
Variables declared in a function are created by C++ and destroyed when the function ends
These are called automatic variables because their creation and destruction is controlled automatically
The programmer manually controls creation and destruction of pointer variables with operators new and delete
Slide 17
Global Variables
Variables declared outside any function definition are global variables
Global variables are available to all parts of a program Global variables are not generally used
Slide 18
Type Definitions
A name can be assigned to a type definition, then used to declare variables The keyword typedef is used to define new type names
Syntax:
typedef Known_Type_Definition New_Type_Name;
Known_Type_Definition can be any type
Slide 19
Defining Pointer Types
To avoid mistakes using pointers, define a pointer type name
Example:
typedef int* IntPtr;
Defines a new type, IntPtr, for pointer variables containing pointers to int variables IntPtr p; is equivalent to int *p;
Slide 20
Multiple Declarations Again
Using our new pointer type defined as typedef int* IntPtr;
Prevent this error in pointer declaration: int *P1, P2; // Only P1 is a pointer variable
with
IntPtr P1, P2; // P1 and P2 are pointer // variables
Slide 21
Dynamic Arrays
A dynamic array is an array whose size is determined when the program is running, not when you write the program
Slide 22
Dynamic Arrays
Can use new to allocate entire array Pointer references first array index Array version especially useful because size of array can be left unspecified until runtime
can ask user for # of input elements dynamic behavior = determined when program is running
pointers
23
Pointer Variables and Array Variables
Array variables are actually pointer variables that point to the first indexed variable
Example:
int a[10]; typedef int* IntPtr; IntPtr p;
Variables a and p are the same kind of variable
Since a is a pointer variable that points to a[0], p = a; causes p to point to the same location as a
Slide 24
Dynamic Array Example
int size, *nums; // size will hold array size; // nums will be used to // reference array elements cout << How many values to input? ; cin >> size; nums = new int [size]; // creates array
pointers
25
Dynamic arrays continued
Dynamic array elements can be referenced just like static array elements -- use pointer name & index: nums[0], nums[1], etc. Once memory is allocated with new, it cant be re-used until it is released with the delete operator:
delete dp; delete []nums; // releases dynamic variable // releases dynamic array
26
Pointer Variables As Array Variables
Continuing the previous example: Pointer variable p can be used as if it were an array variable Example: p[0], p[1], p[9] are all legal ways to use p Variable a can be used as a pointer variable except the pointer value in a cannot be changed
This is not legal:
IntPtr p2; // p2 is assigned a value a = p2 // attempt to change a
Slide 27
Creating Dynamic Arrays
Dynamic arrays are created using the new operator
Example: To create an array of 10 elements of type double:
typedef double* DoublePtr; DoublePtr d; d = new double[10];
This could be an integer variable!
d can now be used as if it were an ordinary array!
Slide 28
Dynamic Arrays (cont.)
Pointer variable d is a pointer to d[0] When finished with the array, it should be deleted to return memory to the freestore Example: delete [ ] d;
The brackets tell C++ a dynamic array is being deleted so it must check the size to know how many indexed variables to remove Forgetting the brackets, is not legal, but would tell the computer to remove only one variable
Slide 29
Pointer Arithmetic (Optional)
Arithmetic can be performed on the addresses contained in pointers
Using the dynamic array of doubles, d, declared previously, recall that d points to d[0] The expression d+1 evaluates to the address of d[1] and d+2 evaluates to the address of d[2]
Notice that adding one adds enough bytes for one variable of the type stored in the array
Slide 30
Pointer Arthmetic Operations
You can add and subtract with pointers
The ++ and - - operators can be used Two pointers of the same type can be subtracted to obtain the number of indexed variables between
The pointers should be in the same array!
This code shows one way to use pointer arithmetic:
for (int i = 0; i < array_size; i++) cout << *(d + i) << " " ; // same as cout << d[i] << " " ;
Slide 31
Multidimensional Dynamic Arrays
To create a 3x4 multidimensional dynamic array
View multidimensional arrays as arrays of arrays First create a one-dimensional dynamic array
Start with a new definition: typedef int* IntArrayPtr; Now create a dynamic array of pointers named m: IntArrayPtr *m = new IntArrayPtr[3]; for (int i = 0; i<3; i++) m[i] = new int[4];
Slide 32
For each pointer in m, create a dynamic array of int's
Example:
Pointer Operators
address value at the address
int i = 5; int *pi; pi = &i; /* place the address of i into pi */ Assume Symbol Table
variable
i pi
874 902
5 874
pi
902 874
i 5
i.e. &i = 874, i = 5; &pi = 902, pi = 874; *pi = ? *pi = 5; *pi = *pi * 2; *pi *= 2; // same as i = 5; // same as i = i * 2; // same as i *= 2;
33
Example:
int i,*pi,**ppi; i = 5; pi = &i; ppi = π
108
Variable Address Value at address
100
pi
ppi
104
108
100
104
ppi
104
pi
100
Usage
pi *pi &pi ppi *ppi **ppi
Meaning
address of int int value address of pointer address of pointer address of int int value
Value
100 5 104 104 100 5
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