6 replies to this topic

[DreamFM]

typedef struct{
			    char name[10];
			    double diameter,orbit_time, rotation_time;
			    int moons;
}planet_t;

status = scan_planet(&current_planet);
int scan_planet(planet_t *plnp){
				    int result;
				    result= scanf("%s",(*plnp).name);
		    if(result==1)
				    result=1;
		    else
				    result =0;
return(result);
}

reference Type value;
plnp planet_t * address of structure that main refers to as current_planet

*plnp planet_t structure that main refers to as current_planet

i don understand the reference part and the type part? What does it mean?
For a pointer, the * sign belongs to the data type(for example int,char) or the variable type (the identifier)?
and is this function filled up with input or output argument? Whatever the case, what is the difference between them?
and the * in *plnp in the body of the function is the deference point right?

Sorry for the noob questions, i am self learning and kinda of getting confused here with pointer, and pointer as argument.
thanks

[kernelcoder]

If you want to declare a function which will take a 'pointer of type integer', you need to declare like

void aFunction(int* ptr)
{
*ptr = 0;
}

, and when you will call that function, you need to call like this

//example 1
int iVar = 0; // integer type
aFunction(&iVar);// here using & operator which reference the address of a variable.

//example 2
int* iPtr; // pointer to integer.
aFunction(iPtr);

.

In your case, the type is planet_t in place of int. Yes, *ptr (in your case *plnp) differences the pointer.

So when you declare a variable and use * after type, it will declare a pointer variable for that type and when you use the * operator before a pointer variable, it de-references that pointer to the variable it contains.

[DreamFM]

Thanks, you have been really helpful!

oh yupp, how about the difference between input and output variable, i cant seem to differentiate them..

[kernelcoder]

What do you mean by input & output variables?

[DreamFM]

sorry, what i meant was input and output argument.

for example, the struct argument i put in the scan_planet function, is it a input argument or an output argument ?

[kernelcoder]

Well, there is nothing like input or output argument in C or C++. What you need to know is about 'Pointer'. Start by reading some simple tutorials on pointer. You can start with this one.

[DreamFM]

okay, thanks alot! (:

Happy coding!