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Arrays: Strings and Parameter Passing

1) The document discusses passing arrays and individual array elements to functions in C. Arrays are passed by reference, so any changes made to the array elements within the function are reflected in the original array. Individual array elements are passed by value, so any changes only affect the local copy within the function. 2) An example program defines a function to modify an entire array by multiplying each element by 2. It also defines a function to modify a single array element passed by value. When called, the entire array is changed but the individual element is not. 3) Proper syntax for passing arrays to functions includes specifying the array name without brackets and including the size as a separate parameter if needed. Array parameters can be

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Anjali Naidu
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69 views

Arrays: Strings and Parameter Passing

1) The document discusses passing arrays and individual array elements to functions in C. Arrays are passed by reference, so any changes made to the array elements within the function are reflected in the original array. Individual array elements are passed by value, so any changes only affect the local copy within the function. 2) An example program defines a function to modify an entire array by multiplying each element by 2. It also defines a function to modify a single array element passed by value. When called, the entire array is changed but the individual element is not. 3) Proper syntax for passing arrays to functions includes specifying the array name without brackets and including the size as a separate parameter if needed. Array parameters can be

Uploaded by

Anjali Naidu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPS, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Department of Computer and Information Science,

School of Science, IUPUI

CSCI 230

Arrays
Dale Roberts, Lecturer
IUPUI
[email protected]

Strings and
Parameter Passing

Dale Roberts

Character Arrays
Character arrays
String is really a static array of characters, ex: first
Character arrays can be initialized using string literals
char string1[] = "first";

Null character '\0' terminates strings

\0

string1 actually has 6 elements Null character (indicates string termination)


It is equivalent to char string1[] = { 'f', 'i', 'r', 's', 't',
'\0' };

Can access individual characters


string1[ 3 ] is character s

Array name is address of array, so & not needed for scanf char
char string2[20];
& is NOT used, why?
scanf( "%s", string2 );
Can read a string with max of size 19 and a null character.
Reads characters until whitespace (space, tab, carriage-return, newline,
vertical tab) encountered
Can write beyond end of array, be careful

Dale Roberts

Passing Arrays to Functions


Passing arrays
To pass an array argument to a function, specify the name of the array
without any brackets
int myArray[ 24 ];
...
myFunction( myArray, 24 );
...

Pass array name


Size is also often sent as an argument

Array size usually passed to function

Arrays passed call-by-reference


the called functions can modify the element values in the callers original
array
Name of array is the address of first element of the array
Function knows where the array is stored. Therefore, when the called
function modifies array elements in its function body, it is modifying the
actual elements of array in the original memory locations
main()
myFunction()

myArray

Dale Roberts

Passing Arrays to Functions (cont.)


Example:

output:

#include <stdio.h>
main()
{
int a[10];
printf(a = %p \n &a[0] = %p\n, a, &a[0]);
}
a = FFEE
&a[0] = FFEE

Passing array elements


Individual elements of an array are passed by call-by-value
Pass subscripted name (i.e., myArray[ 3 ]) to function
Example:

compare(a[0], a[1]);

will be passed by value

An array is a vector while individual elements are scalars.

Function prototype
void modifyArray( int b[], int arraySize );

Parameter names optional in prototype


int b[] could be written int []
int arraySize could be simply int

Dale Roberts

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a[
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/* Fig. 6.13: fig06_13.c


Passing arrays and individual array elements to functions
#include <stdio.h>
#define SIZE 5
void modifyArray( int [], int );
void modifyElement( int );

/* appears strange */

int main()
{
int a[ SIZE ] = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 }, i;

Function definitions

printf( "Effects of passing entire array call "


"by reference:\n\nThe values of the "
"original array are:\n" );
for ( i = 0; i <= SIZE - 1; i++ )
printf( "%3d", a[ i ] );

Entire arrays passed call-byreference, and can be modified

printf( "\n" );
modifyArray( a, SIZE ); /* passed call by reference */
printf( "The values of the modified array are:\n" );

for ( i = 0; i <= SIZE - 1; i++ )


Array elements passed call-byprintf( "%3d", a[ i ] );
value, and cannot be modified
printf( "\n\n\nEffects of passing array element call "
"by value:\n\nThe value of a[3] is %d\n",
3 ] modifyElement(
);
a[ 3 ] );
printf( "The value of a[ 3 ] is %d\n", a[ 3 ] );
return 0;
}

Pass array to a
function

Pass array element


to a function
Print

Dale Roberts

33
34 void modifyArray( int b[], int size )
35 {
36

Function
definitions

int j;

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for ( j = 0; j <= size - 1; j++ )


b[ j ] *= 2;

40 }
41
42 void modifyElement( int e )
43 {
44

printf( "Value in modifyElement is %d\n", e *= 2 );

45 }

Program Output

Effects of passing entire array call by reference:


The values of
0 1 2 3
The values of
0 2 4 6

the original array are:


4
the modified array are:
8

Effects of passing array element call by value:


The value of a[3] is 6
Value in modifyElement is 12
The value of a[3] is 6

Dale Roberts

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