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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    understanding pointers

    Hi,
    I am new to pointer world. I have started programming in c++ and have basic knowledge in c.

    Code:
        char y[]="helloo";
        char *p=y;
        cout<< p[1];
    This prints 'e'

    if I print:

    Code:
     cout<< p
    I get hello. I am unable to underatnd why. It should actually print address of y array!

  2. #2
    2kaud's Avatar
    2kaud is offline Super Moderator Power Poster
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    Re: understanding pointers

    It should actually print address of y array!
    It prints correctly. p is a pointer to a char which has been set to the address pointed to by y. cout sees that the type of p is of char * (pointer to char) and so treats it as a c null-terminated string and prints its contents.
    All advice is offered in good faith only. All my code is tested (unless stated explicitly otherwise) with the latest version of Microsoft Visual Studio (using the supported features of the latest standard) and is offered as examples only - not as production quality. I cannot offer advice regarding any other c/c++ compiler/IDE or incompatibilities with VS. You are ultimately responsible for the effects of your programs and the integrity of the machines they run on. Anything I post, code snippets, advice, etc is licensed as Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ and can be used without reference or acknowledgement. Also note that I only provide advice and guidance via the forums - and not via private messages!

    C++23 Compiler: Microsoft VS2022 (17.6.5)

  3. #3
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    Oct 2013
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    12

    Re: understanding pointers

    @PM2kaud- Thank you for your reply.
    So basically with string, the base address is passed and
    Code:
    cout
    prints until it finds '\0'

    Please correct me, if I am wrong.

    Quote Originally Posted by 2kaud View Post
    It prints correctly. p is a pointer to a char which has been set to the address pointed to by y. cout sees that the type of p is of char * (pointer to char) and so treats it as a c null-terminated string and prints its contents.

  4. #4
    2kaud's Avatar
    2kaud is offline Super Moderator Power Poster
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    Re: understanding pointers

    Yes - for a c-style null terminated string. In c++ there is also a class called string which is very different.
    All advice is offered in good faith only. All my code is tested (unless stated explicitly otherwise) with the latest version of Microsoft Visual Studio (using the supported features of the latest standard) and is offered as examples only - not as production quality. I cannot offer advice regarding any other c/c++ compiler/IDE or incompatibilities with VS. You are ultimately responsible for the effects of your programs and the integrity of the machines they run on. Anything I post, code snippets, advice, etc is licensed as Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ and can be used without reference or acknowledgement. Also note that I only provide advice and guidance via the forums - and not via private messages!

    C++23 Compiler: Microsoft VS2022 (17.6.5)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    Re: understanding pointers

    Ohh.
    Thank you once again.
    Quote Originally Posted by 2kaud View Post
    Yes - for a c-style null terminated string. In c++ there is also a class called string which is very different.

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