C Language Tutorials by Ghulam Murtaza Dahar - HTML preview

Output

Value: 5

Address: 2686778

Note: You may obtain different value of address while using this code.

In above source code, value 5 is stored in the memory location 2686778. var is just the name given to that location.

You, have already used reference operator in C program while using scanf() function.

scanf("%d",&var);

Reference operator(*) and Pointer variables

Pointers variables are used for taking addresses as values, i.e., a variable that holds address value is called a pointer variable or simply a pointer.

Declaration of Pointer

Dereference operator(*) are used to identify an operator as a pointer.

data_type * pointer_variable_name;

int *p;

Above statement defines, p as pointer variable of type int.

Example To Demonstrate Working of Pointers

/* Source code to demonstrate, handling of pointers in C program */

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){

int *pc,c;

c=22;

printf("Address of c:%d\n",&c);

printf("Value of c:%d\n\n",c);

pc=&c;

printf("Address of pointer pc:%d\n",pc);

printf("Content of pointer pc:%d\n\n",*pc);

c=11;

printf("Address of pointer pc:%d\n",pc);

printf("Content of pointer pc:%d\n\n",*pc);

*pc=2;

printf("Address of c:%d\n",&c);

printf("Value of c:%d\n\n",c);

return 0;

}