POINTERS

AND
DYNAMIC OBJECTS
Topics
Pointers
◦ Memory addresses
◦ Declaration
◦ Dereferencing a pointer
◦ Pointers to pointer

Static vs. dynamic objects

◦ new and delete
 Computer Memory
Each variable is assigned a memory slot (the size depends on the data
type) and the variable’s data is stored there

emory address: 1020 1024 1032

… … 100 … 1024 …
a
Variable a’s value, i.e., 100, is
int a = 100; stored at memory location 1024
 Pointers
A pointer is a variable used to store the address of a memory cell.
We can use the pointer to reference this memory cell

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… … 100 … 1024 …
integer
pointer
Pointer Types
Pointer
◦ C++ has pointer types for each type of object
◦ Pointers to int objects
◦ Pointers to char objects
◦ Pointers to user-defined objects
(e.g., RationalNumber)
◦ Even pointers to pointers
◦ Pointers to pointers to int objects
Pointer Variable
Declaration of Pointer variables
type* pointer_name;
//or
type *pointer_name;
where type is the type of data pointed to (e.g. int, char, double)

Examples:
int *n;
RationalNumber *r;
int **p; // pointer to pointer
 Address Operator &
The "address of " operator (&) gives the memory address of the
variable
◦ Usage: &variable_name
Memory address: 1020 1024

… … 100 … … …
a
int a = 100;
//get the value,
cout << a; //prints 100
//get the memory address
cout << &a; //prints 1024
 Address Operator &
Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… 88 100 … … …
a b
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
 Result is:
void main(){ The address of a is: 1020
int a, b; The address of b is: 1024
a = 88;
b = 100;
cout << "The address of a is: " << &a << endl;
cout << "The address of b is: " << &b << endl;
}
 Pointer Variables

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… 88 100 … 1024 …
a p
int a = 100;  Result is:
int *p = &a; 100 1024
cout << a << " " << &a <<endl; 1024 1032
cout << p << " " << &p <<endl;

The value of pointer p is the address of variable a

A pointer is also a variable, so it has its own memory address
 Pointer to Pointer

What is the output?

58 58 58
 Dereferencing Operator
*
We can access to the value stored in the variable pointed to by using the
dereferencing operator (*),

Memory address: 1020 1024 1032

… 88 100 … 1024 …
a p
int a = 100;
 Result is:
int *p = &a;
cout << a << endl; 100
cout << &a << endl; 1024
cout << p << " " << *p << endl; 1024 100
cout << &p << endl; 1032
 Don’t get confused
Declaring a pointer means only that it is a pointer: int *p;
Don’t be confused with the dereferencing operator, which is also
written with an asterisk (*). They are simply two different tasks
represented with the same sign
int a = 100, b = 88, c = 8;
int *p1 = &a, *p2, *p3 = &c;
p2 = &b; // p2 points to b
p2 = p1; // p2 points to a  Result is:
b = *p3; //assign c to b 888
*p2 = *p3; //assign c to a
cout << a << b << c;
 A Pointer Example

Memory Layout
The code
Box diagram
main
void doubleIt(int x,
int * p) p
a 16 8192
{ (8200)
*p = 2 * x;
doubleIt
x 9
} (8196)
int main(int argc, const
char * argv[]) a 16 main
{
doubleIt (8192)
int a = 16;
x 9
doubleIt(9, &a);

a gets 18
return 0;
p
}
 Another Pointer
Example
#include <iostream> Let’s figure out: 
using namespace std; value1==? / value2==?
int main (){
Also, p1=? p2=?
int value1 = 5, value2 = 15;
int *p1, *p2;
p1 = &value1; // p1 = address of value1
p2 = &value2; // p2 = address of value2
*p1 = 10; // value pointed to by p1=10
*p2 = *p1; // value pointed to by p2= value // pointed to by p1
p1 = p2; // p1 = p2 (pointer value copied)
*p1 = 20; // value pointed to by p1 = 20
cout << "value1==" << value1 << "/ value2==" << value2;
return 0;
}
 Another Pointer
Example
int a = 3;
char s = ‘z’;
double d = 1.03;
int *pa = &a;
char *ps = &s;
double *pd = &d;
% sizeof returns the # of bytes…
cout << sizeof(pa) << sizeof(*pa)
<< sizeof(&pa) << endl;
cout << sizeof(ps) << sizeof(*ps)
<< sizeof(&ps) << endl;
cout << sizeof(pd) << sizeof(*pd)
<< sizeof(&pd) << endl;
 Traditional Pointer
Usage
void IndirectSwap(char *Ptr1, char *Ptr2){
char temp = *Ptr1;
*Ptr1 = *Ptr2;
*Ptr2 = temp;
}
int main() {
char a = 'y';
char b = 'n';
IndirectSwap(&a, &b);
cout << a << b << endl;
return 0;
}
 Pass by Reference
void IndirectSwap(char& y, char& z) {
char temp = y;
y = z;
z = temp;
}
int main() {
char a = 'y';
char b = 'n';
IndirectSwap(a, b);
cout << a << b << endl;
return 0;
}
 Pointers and Arrays
 The name of an array points only to the first
element not the whole array.

1000

1004

1008

1012

1016
Array Name is a pointer constant
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

void main (){

int a[5];
cout << "Address of a[0]: " << &a[0] << endl
<< "Name as pointer: " << a << endl;
}

Result:
Address of a[0]: 0x0065FDE4
Name as pointer: 0x0065FDE4
 Dereferencing An Array Name

This element is
called a[0] or
*a
#include <iostream>
a[0] 2 using namespace std;
a void main(){
a[1] 4 int a[5] = {2,4,6,8,22};
a[2] 6 cout << *a << " "
<< a[0];
a[3] 8 } //main
a[4] 22
a
 Array Names as Pointers
 To access an array, any pointer to the first element
can be used instead of the name of the array.

We could replace *p by *a

#include <iostream>
a p using namespace std;
void main(){
a[0] 2 int a[5] = {2,4,6,8,22};
22
a[1] 4 int *p = a;
a[2] 6 cout << a[0] << " "
a[3] 8 << *p;
a[4] 22 }
a
 Multiple Array Pointers
 Both a and p are pointers to the same array.

#include <iostream>
a[0] using namespace std;
a[0] 22 void main(){
2 p
44 int a[5] = {2,4,6,8,22};
a[1] 4 int *p = &a[1];
a[2] 6 cout << a[0] << " "
<< p[-1];
a[3] 8 p[0]
cout << a[1] << " "
a[4] 22 << p[0];
}
 Pointer Arithmetic
 Given a pointer p, p+n refers to the element that
is offset from p by n positions.

a 2 p - 1

a + 1 4 p
a + 2 6 p + 1
a + 3 8 p + 2
a + 4 22 p + 3
 Dereferencing Array Pointers

a[0] or *(a + 0) 2 a
a[1] or *(a + 1) 4 a + 1
a[2] or *(a + 2) 6 a + 2
a[3] or *(a + 3) 8 a + 3
a[4] or *(a + 4) 22 a + 4

*(a+n) is identical to a[n]

 Note: flexible pointer syntax
 Array of Pointers & Pointers to Array
a
p
b
c

An array of Pointers A pointer to an array

int a = 1, b = 2, c = 3; int list[5] = {9, 8, 7, 6, 5};
int *p[5]; int *p;
p[0] = &a; P = list;//points to 1st entry
p[1] = &b; P = &list[0];//points to 1st entry
p[2] = &c; P = &list[1];//points to 2nd entry
P = list + 1; //points to 2nd entry
 NULL pointer
NULL is a special value that indicates an empty pointer
If you try to access a NULL pointer, you will get an error
int *p;
p = 0;
cout << p << endl; //prints 0
cout << &p << endl;//prints address of p
cout << *p << endl;//Error!
 Storing 2D Array in 1D
Array
int twod[3][4] = {{0,1,2,3}, {4,5,6,7},
{8,9,10,11}};

int oned[12];
for(int i=0; i<3; i++){
for(int j=0; j<4 ; j++)
oned[i*4+j] = twod[i][j];
}
 Pointer to 2-Dimensional Arrays
table table[i] =
&table[i][0]
refers to
table + 1 table[ 0] or *( table + 0 ) the address
of the ith
row
table + 2 table[ 1] or *( table + 1 )

table[ 2] or *( table + 2 )
int table[3][4] = {{1,2,3,4}, *(table[i]+j)
What is = table[i][j]
{5,6,7,8},{9,10,11,12}};
**table
? for(int i=0; i<3; i++){
for(int j=0; j<4; j++)
cout << *(*(table+i)+j);
cout << endl;
}
DYNAMI
C
OBJECTS
Memory Management
Static Memory Allocation
◦ Memory is allocated at compilation time

Dynamic Memory
◦ Memory is allocated at running time
 Static vs. Dynamic
Objects
Static object Dynamic object

(variables as declared in function calls) Memory is acquired by program with

Memory is acquired automatically an allocation request
new operation

Memory is returned automatically Dynamic objects can exist beyond

when object goes out of scope the function in which they were
allocated

Object memory is returned by a

deallocation request
delete operation
 Memory Allocation

new
delete

{ int* ptr;
int a[200]; ptr = new int[200];
… …
} delete [] ptr;
 Object (variable) creation:
New
Syntax
ptr = new SomeType;

where ptr is a pointer of type SomeType

Example
int* p = new int;

Uninitialized int variable

p
Object (variable) destruction: Delete

Syntax
delete p;
storage pointed to by p is returned to free store and p is now
undefined

Example
int* p = new int;
*p = 10;
delete p;

p 10
Array of New:
dynamic arrays
Syntax
P = new SomeType[Expression];
◦ Where
◦ P is a pointer of type SomeType
◦ Expression is the number of objects to be constructed -- we are making an array

Because of the flexible pointer syntax, P can be considered to be an array

 Example
Dynamic Memory Allocation
 Request for “unnamed” memory from the Operating System

new
 int *p, n=10; p
p = new int;

new
p = new int[100];
p
new

p = new int[n]; p
 Memory Allocation Example
Want an array of unknown size
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void main()
{
int n;
cout << “How many students? “;
cin >> n;
int *grades = new int[n];
for(int i=0; i < n; i++){
int mark;
cout << “Input Grade for Student” << (i+1) << “ ? :”;
cin >> mark;
grades[i] = mark;
}
. . .
printMean( grades, n ); // call a function with dynamic array
. . .
}
Freeing (or deleting) Memory
 Dangling Pointer Problem
int *A = new int[5];
for(int i=0; i<5; i++)
A[i] = i;
int *B = A;
A
0 1 2 3 4
B

delete [] A;
Locations do not belong to program
B[0] = 1; // illegal!
A —

?
B
Memory Leak Problem
int *A = new int [5];
for(int i=0; i<5; i++)
A[i] = i;
A 0 1 2 2 3 4

These locations cannot be

A = new int [5]; accessed by program

A 0 1 2 3 4

— — — — —
 A Dynamic 2D Array
 A dynamic array is table
an array of pointers 32 18 12 24
to save space when table[0]
not all rows of the table[1] 13 11 16 12 42 19 14
array are full. table[2]
22
table[3]
 int **table; table[4] 13 13 14
table[5]
11 18
table = new int*[6];
…
table[0] = new int[4];
table[1] = new int[7];
table[2] = new int[1];
table[3] = new int[3];
table[4] = new int[2];
table[5] = NULL;
 Memory Allocation
int **table;

table = new int*[6];

table[0]= new int[3];

table[1]= new int[1];
table[2]= new int[5];
table[3]= new int[10];
table[4]= new int[2];
table[5]= new int[6];

table[0][0] = 1; table[0][1] = 2; table[0][2] = 3;

table[1][0] = 4;
table[2][0] = 5; table[2][1] = 6; table[2][2] = 7; table[2][3] = 8; table[2]
[4] = 9;

table[4][0] = 10; table[4][1] = 11;

cout << table[2][5] << endl;
Memory Deallocation
Memory leak is a serious bug!
Each row must be deleted individually
Be careful to delete each row before deleting the table pointer.
◦ for(int i=0; i<6; i++)
delete [ ] table[i];
delete [ ] table;
 Create a matrix of any dimensions, m by n:

Put it into a function:

nt m, n; int m, n;
cin >> m >> n >> endl;
in >> m >> n >> endl;
int** mat;
mat = imatrix(m,n);
nt** mat; …

at = new int*[m]; int** imatrix(nr, nc) {

int** m;
m = new int*[nr];
or (int i=0;i<m;i++) for (int i=0;i<nr;i++)
mat[i] = new int[n]; m[i] = new int[nc];
return m;
}
Pointers to objects
Pointers to objects
Any type that can be used to declare a
variable/object can also have a pointer type.
Consider the following class:
class Rational
{
private:
int numerator;
int denominator;
public:
Rational(int n, int d);
void Display();
};

CSC2110 - DATA STRUCTURES/ALGORITHMS 49

 Pointers to objects
(Cont..)
Rational *rp = NULL; rp FFF0 0
Rational r(3,4); FFF1
rp = &r; FFF2
FFF3
FFF4
FFF5
FFF6
FFF7
FFF8
FFF9
FFFA
FFFB
FFFC
FFFD
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 Pointers to objects
(Cont..)
Rational *rp = NULL; rp FFF0 0
Rational r(3,4); FFF1
rp = &r; FFF2
FFF3
FFF4 3
FFF5
FFF6
FFF7
numerator = r FFF8 4
3
denominator FFF9
=4 FFFA
FFFB
FFFC
FFFD
CSC2110 - DATA STRUCTURES/ALGORITHMS 51
 Pointers to objects
(Cont..)
Rational *rp = NULL; rp FFF0 FFF4
Rational r(3,4); FFF1
rp = &r; FFF2
FFF3
FFF4 3
FFF5
FFF6
FFF7
numerator = r FFF8 4
3
denominator FFF9
=4 FFFA
FFFB
FFFC
FFFD
CSC2110 - DATA STRUCTURES/ALGORITHMS 52
 Pointers to objects
(Cont..)
If rp is a pointer to an object, then two notations can be used to
reference the instance/object rp points to.
Using the de-referencing operator *
(*rp).Display();

Using the member access operator ->

rp -> Display();

CSC2110 - DATA STRUCTURES/ALGORITHMS 53

Dynamic Allocation of a Class
Object
Consider the Rational class defined before

Rational *rp;
int a, b;
cin >> a >> b;
rp = new Rational(a,b);
(*rp).Display(); // rp->Display();
delete rp;
rp = NULL;

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