C - Pointers - Some examples

We can see with examples below that myString[0] == *myString == *(&myString[0]) == H.

Why?

Because myString[0] points the first character of the string “Hello World”, in this case “H”.

Same for *myString that is the value of the first character of the string. Finally &myString[0] is the address of the first character (H), and with the * before we retrieve the value of this address, in this case “H”.

Let’s take some examples of pointers in C:

#include <stdio.h>

int     main()
{
  char  *myString;
  int   myInt;
  int   *p_myInt;

  printf("\nLet's start!\n");

  printf("\nDeclaration of myInt, p_myInt and myString.\n\n");

  printf("Value of p_myInt = %d.\n", p_myInt);
  printf("Value of *p_myInt = %d.\n", *p_myInt);
  printf("Value of myString = %s.\n", myString);

  printf("\nAddress of p_myInt = %p.\n", p_myInt);
  printf("Address of *p_myInt = %p.\n", *p_myInt);
  printf("Address of myString = %p.\n", myString);

  printf("\nInitialisation of myInt, p_myInt and myString.\n\n");
  myInt = 53;
  p_myInt = &myInt;
  myString = "Hello World Pointers!";

  printf("Value of myInt = %d.\n", myInt);
  printf("Value of *p_myInt = %d.\n", *p_myInt);
  printf("Value of *(&myInt) = %d.\n", *(&myInt));
  printf("Value of p_myInt = %d.\n", p_myInt);

  printf("\nAddress of &myInt = %p.\n", &myInt);
  printf("Address of p_myInt = %p.\n", p_myInt);
  printf("Address of *p_myInt = %p.\n\n", *p_myInt);

  printf("Value of myString = %s.\n\n", myString);

  printf("Character myString[0] = %c.\n", myString[0]);
  printf("Character *myString = %c.\n", *myString);
  printf("Character myString = %c.\n", myString);
  printf("Character &myString[0] = %c.\n", &myString[0]);
  printf("Character *(&myString[0]) = %c.\n", *(&myString[0]));
  printf("Character myString[1] = %c.\n", myString[1]);
  printf("Character *(myString + 1) = %c.\n", *(myString + 1));
  printf("Character *(&myString[1]) = %c.\n\n", *(&myString[1]));

  printf("Address of myString[0] = %p.\n", myString[0]);
  printf("Address of *myString = %p.\n", *myString);
  printf("Address of myString = %p.\n", myString);
  printf("Address of &myString[0] = %p.\n", &myString[0]);
  printf("Address of myString + 1 = %p.\n", myString + 1);
  printf("Address of &myString[1] = %p.\n", &myString[1]);
  printf("Address of &myString = %p.\n\n", &myString);
  return (0);
}

Result:

Let's start!

Declaration of myInt, p_myInt and myString.

Value of p_myInt = 4382708.
Value of *p_myInt = 4382076.
Value of myString = �Õ.

Address of p_myInt = 0x42dff4.
Address of *p_myInt = 0x42dd7c.
Address of myString = 0x804870b.

Initialisation of myInt, p_myInt and myString.

Value of myInt = 53.
Value of *p_myInt = 53.
Value of *(&myInt) = 53.
Value of p_myInt = -1078787292.

Address of &myInt = 0xbfb30324.
Address of p_myInt = 0xbfb30324.
Address of *p_myInt = 0x35.

Value of myString = Hello World Pointers!.

Character myString[0] = H.
Character *myString = H.
Character myString = �.
Character &myString[0] = �.
Character *(&myString[0]) = H.
Character myString[1] = e.
Character *(myString + 1) = e.
Character *(&myString[1]) = e.

Address of myString[0] = 0x48.
Address of *myString = 0x48.
Address of myString = 0x80488c1.
Address of &myString[0] = 0x80488c1.
Address of myString + 1 = 0x80488c2.
Address of &myString[1] = 0x80488c2.
Address of &myString = 0xbfb30328.