2006-12-21 19:40:17 · 5 answers · asked by jar 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Programming & Design
A pointer is a special variable which holds the address of a memory location and indirectly accesses another memory location to store/read data
The pointer variable contains a memory address and the data is passed on to this address. The pointer may incremented(or decremented) to the adjoining spot in memory or loaded with any other valid memory location.
The pointer is used in C as a means of creating strings. A string is an array of individual characters. Lauguages like BASIC insulate a beginning programmer from pointers by providing character arrays in the form of the String datatype. ( BASIC arrays only allow indexing from a base memory location assigned when the array is first declared and limit you to a well defined area in memory)
A pointer will also allow you to dynamically index (like in basic) but also allow you to point to any memory location. You are not limited to a predefined location and range. You pretty well can muck about anywhere you want.
You can think of a C pointer as a BASIC array on steroids...
2006-12-22 01:47:25 · answer #1 · answered by MarkG 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pointer will have the address of memory block which can have functions, variables, data blocks or any thing which can stored in the particular place.
In main concept of pointer is, you can not assign any value to the pointer. only you can assign the address to it. it will point the address and you can write programm to read the contents from the location. For examble in C language the pointer is used in Link list. the stored datas can be read through by pointers. Pointer can point files, functions,etc...
2006-12-22 05:03:04 · answer #2 · answered by Kannan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pointers can be used to point to a memory location, pointers deals with memory locations using pointers you can get the content of that memory location, ponters can be of char, int etc types.
2006-12-22 03:47:08 · answer #3 · answered by abhay t 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Since pointers are addresses of variables, they can be used while writing device driver code which interact with hardware devices.
2006-12-22 04:12:04 · answer #4 · answered by Ram 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Gives a false sense of authority
2. Guides the "helpless" audience.
3. Calms you from being twitchy.
4. Keeps manufacturers busy.
5. Purchasing officer needs something to do to keep his job.
6. Wakes people if they are asleep during your boring speech.
7. Gentle persuasion for recalcitrants.
8. Coffee stirrer if you cannot find one.
9. Egg beater
10. Final drum roll - as a drumstick. Da Da
2006-12-22 03:52:42 · answer #5 · answered by Tom Cat 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋