Update pointer examples and comments

This commit is contained in:
Kai Mallea 2013-06-28 21:47:31 -04:00
parent 86273dec2f
commit 86885dab5c

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@ -194,26 +194,41 @@ printf("%d\n", (short) 65537); // => 1 (Max short = 65535)
// Pointers // Pointers
/////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////
// You can retrieve the memory address of your variables, // A pointer is a variable declared to store a memory address. Its declaration will
// then mess with them. // also tell you the type of data it points to. You can retrieve the memory address
// of your variables, then mess with them.
int x = 0; int x = 0;
printf("%p\n", &x); // Use & to retrieve the address of a variable printf("%p\n", &x); // Use & to retrieve the address of a variable
// (%p formats a pointer) // (%p formats a pointer)
// => Prints some address in memory; // => Prints some address in memory;
// Pointer types end with * in their declaration
int* px; // px is a pointer to an int
px = &x; // Stores the address of x in px
printf("%p\n", px); // => Prints some address in memory
// To retreive the value at the address a pointer is pointing to,
// put * in front to de-reference it.
printf("%d\n", *px); // => Prints 0, the value of x, which is what px is pointing to the address of
// You can also change the value the pointer is pointing to.
// We'll have to wrap the de-reference in parenthesis because
// ++ has a higher precedence than *.
(*px)++; // Increment the value px is pointing to by 1
printf("%d\n", *px); // => Prints 1
printf("%d\n", x); // => Prints 1
int x_array[20]; // Arrays are a good way to allocate a contiguous block of memory int x_array[20]; // Arrays are a good way to allocate a contiguous block of memory
int xx; int xx;
for(xx=0; xx<20; xx++){ for(xx=0; xx<20; xx++){
x_array[xx] = 20 - xx; x_array[xx] = 20 - xx;
} // Initialize x_array to 20, 19, 18,... 2, 1 } // Initialize x_array to 20, 19, 18,... 2, 1
// Pointer types end with *
int* x_ptr = x_array; int* x_ptr = x_array;
// This works because arrays are pointers to their first element. // This works because an array name is bound to the address of its first element
// Put a * in front to de-reference a pointer and retrieve the value, // Arrays are pointers to their first element
// of the same type as the pointer, that the pointer is pointing at.
printf("%d\n", *(x_ptr)); // => Prints 20 printf("%d\n", *(x_ptr)); // => Prints 20
printf("%d\n", x_array[0]); // => Prints 20 printf("%d\n", x_array[0]); // => Prints 20