Chapter 4 - Arrays Pointers and String
Chapter 4 - Arrays Pointers and String
4.1. Introduction
In a program have values associated with them. During program execution
these values are accessed by using the identifier associated with the variable in
expressions etc. In none of the programs written so far have very many variables been
used to represent the values that were required. Thus even though programs have been
written that could handle large lists of numbers it has not been necessary to use a separate
identifier for each number in the list. This is because in all these programs it has never
been necessary to keep a note of each number individually for later processing. For
example in summing the numbers in a list only one variable was used to hold the current
entered number which was added to the accumulated sum and was then overwritten by
the next number entered. If that value were required again later in the program there
would be no way of accessing it because the value has now been overwritten by the later
input. If only a few values were involved a different identifier could be declared for each
variable, but now a loop could not be used to enter the values. Using a loop and assuming
that after a value has been entered and used no further use will be made of it allows the
following code to be written. This code enters five numbers and outputs their sum:
#include<iostream.h>
int main()
{
int x;
int sum=0;
for (int i = 1; i<=5; i++)
{
cout<<"enter the number:"<<endl;
cin >> x;
sum += x;
}
cout<<"The sum is="<<sum;
return 0; }
4.2. What is an arrays
An array is a data structure which allows a collective name to be given to a group of
elements which all have the same type. An individual element of an array is identified by
its own unique index (or subscript).
An array can be thought of as a collection of numbered boxes each containing one data
item. The number associated with the box is the index of the item. To access a particular
item the index of the box associated with the item is used to access the appropriate box.
The index must be an integer and indicates the position of the element in the array. Thus
the elements of an array are ordered by the index.
For example data on the average temperature over the year in Ethiopia for each of the last
100 years could be stored in an array declared as follows:
float annual_temp[100];
This declaration will cause the compiler to allocate space for 100 consecutive float
variables in memory. The number of elements in an array must be fixed at compile time.
It is best to make the array size a constant and then, if required, the program can be
changed to handle a different size of array by changing the value of the constant,
const int NE = 100;
float annual_temp[NE];
then if more records come to light it is easy to amend the program to cope with more
values by changing the value of NE. This works because the compiler knows the value of
the constant NE at compile time and can allocate an appropriate amount of space for the
array. It would not work if an ordinary variable was used for the size in the array
declaration since at compile time the compiler would not know a value for it.
4.3.2. Accessing Array Elements
Given the declaration above of a 100-element array the compiler reserves space for 100
consecutive floating point values and accesses these values using an index/subscript that
takes values from 0 to 99. The first element in an array in C++ always has the index 0,
and if the array has n elements the last element will have the index n-1.
An array element is accessed by writing the identifier of the array followed by the
subscript in square brackets. Thus to set the 15th element of the array above to 1.5 the
following assignment is used:
annual_temp[14] = 1.5;
Note that since the first element is at index 0, then the ith element is at index i-1. Hence
in the above the 15th element has index 14.
An array element can be used anywhere an identifier may be used. Here are some
examples assuming the following declarations:
const int NE = 100,
N = 50;
int i, j, count[N];
float annual_temp[NE];
float sum, av1, av2;
Array elements can form part of the condition for an if statement, or indeed, for any other
logical expression:
if (annual_temp[j] < 10.0)
cout << "It was cold this year "
<< endl;
for statements are the usual means of accessing every element in an array. Here, the first
NE elements of the array annual_temp are given values from the input stream cin.
for (i = 0; i < NE; i++)
cin >> annual_temp[i];
The following code finds the average temperature recorded in the first ten elements of the
array.
sum = 0.0;
for (i = 0; i <10; i++)
sum += annual_temp[i];
av1 = sum / 10;
Notice that it is good practice to use named constants, rather than literal numbers such as
10. If the program is changed to take the average of the first 20 entries, then it all too easy
to forget to change a 10 to 20. If a const is used consistently, then changing its value will
be all that is necessary.
For example, the following example finds the average of the last k entries in the array. k
could either be a variable, or a declared constant. Observe that a change in the value of k
will still calculate the correct average (provided k<=NE).
sum = 0.0;
for (i = NE - k; i < NE; i++)
sum += annual_temp[i];
av2 = sum / k;
Important - C++ does not check that the subscript that is used to reference an array
element actually lies in the subscript range of the array. Thus C++ will allow the
assignment of a value to annual_temp[200], however the effect of this assignment is
unpredictable. For example it could lead to the program attempting to assign a value to a
memory element that is outside the program's allocated memory space. This would lead
to the program being terminated by the operating system. Alternatively it might actually
access a memory location that is within the allocated memory space of the program and
assign a value to that location, changing the value of the variable in your program which
is actually associated with that memory location, or overwriting the machine code of your
program. Similarly reading a value from annual_temp[200] might access a value that
has not been set by the program or might be the value of another variable. It is the
programmer's responsibility to ensure that if an array is declared with n elements then no
attempt is made to reference any element with a subscript outside the range 0 to n-1.
Using an index, or subscript, that is out of range is called Subscript Overflow. Subscript
overflow is one of the commonest causes of erroneous results and can frequently cause
very strange and hard to spot errors in programs.
4.3.3. Initialization of arrays
The initialization of simple variables in their declaration has already been covered. An
array can be initialized in a similar manner. In this case the initial values are given as a
list enclosed in curly brackets. For example initializing an array to hold the first few
prime numbers could be written as follows:
int primes[] = {1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13};
Note that the array has not been given a size, the compiler will make it large enough to
hold the number of elements in the list. In this case primes would be allocated space for
seven elements. If the array is given a size then this size must be greater than or equal to
the number of elements in the initialization list. For example:
int primes[10] = {1, 2, 3, 5, 7};
would reserve space for a ten element array but would only initialize the first five
elements.
A set of positive data values (200) are available. It is required to find the average value of
these values and to count the number of values that are more than 10% above the average
value.
Since the data values are all positive a negative value can be used as a sentinel to signal
the end of data entry. Obviously this is a problem in which an array must be used since
the values must first be entered to find the average and then each value must be compared
with this average. Hence the use of an array to store the entered values for later re-use.
In the above the variable nogt10 is the number greater than 10% above the average value.
It is easy to argue that after exiting the while loop, count is set to the number of positive
numbers entered. Before entering the loop count is set to zero and the first number is
entered, that is count is one less than the number of numbers entered. Each time round the
loop another number is entered and count is incremented hence count remains one less
than the number of numbers entered. But the number of numbers entered is one greater
than the number of positive numbers so count is therefore equal to the number of positive
numbers.
A main() program written from the above algorithmic description is given below:
void main()
{
const int NE = 200; // maximum no of elements in array
float sum = 0.0; // accumulates sum
int count = 0; // number of elements entered
int nogt10 = 0; // counts no greater than 10%
// above average
float x; // holds each no as input
float indata[NE]; // array to hold input
float average; // average value of input values
int i; // control variable
// calculate average
average = sum/count;
// Now compare input elements with average
for (i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
if (indata[i] > 1.1 * average)
nogt10++;
}
// Output results
cout << "Number of values input is " << n;
cout << endl
<< "Number more than 10% above average is "
<< nogt10 << endl;
}
Since it was assumed in the specification that there would be less than 200 values the
array size is set at 200. In running the program less than 200 elements may be entered, if
n elements where n < 200 elements are entered then they will occupy the first n places in
the array indata. It is common to set an array size to a value that is the maximum we
think will occur in practice, though often not all this space will be used.
The following program simulates the throwing of a dice by using a random number
generator to generate integers in the range 0 to 5. The user is asked to enter the number of
trials and the program outputs how many times each possible number occurred.
An array has been used to hold the six counts. This allows the program to increment the
correct count using one statement inside the loop rather than using a switch statement
with six cases to choose between variables if separate variables had been used for each
count. Also it is easy to change the number of sides on the dice by changing a constant.
Because C++ arrays start at subscript 0 the count for an i occurring on a throw is held in
the i-1th element of this count array. By changing the value of the constant die_sides the
program could be used to simulate a die_sides-sided die without any further change.
#include <iostream.h>
#include <stdlib.h> // time.h and stdlib.h required for
#include <time.h> // random number generation
void main()
{
const int die_sides = 6; // maxr-sided die
int count[die_sides]; // holds count of each
// possible value
int no_trials, // number of trials
roll, // random integer
i; // control variable
float sample; // random fraction 0 .. 1
This code will copy the elements of array y into x, overwriting the original contents of x.
A loop like this has to be written whenever an array assignment is needed.
Notice the use of a constant to store the array size. This avoids the literal constant '10'
appearing a number times in the code. If the code needs to be edited to use different sized
arrays, only the constant needs to be changed. If the constant is not used, all the '10's
would have to be changed individually - it is easy to miss one out.
Arrays can have any number of dimensions, although most of the arrays that you create
will likely be of one or two dimensions.
Suppose the program contains a class named square. The declaration of array named
board that represents would be
Square board[8][8];
The program could also represent the same data with a one dimensional, 64-square array.
For example, it could include the statement
Square board[64];
Such a representation does not correspond as closely to the real-world object as the two
dimensional array, however.
Suppose that when the game begins. The king id located in the fourth position in the first
row. Counting from zero that position corresponds to board[0][3] in the two dimensional
array, assuming that the first subscript corresponds to the row, and the second to the
column.
int x[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4} ;
This initialization creates an array of four elements.
Note however:
int x[][] = { {1,2}, {3,4} } ; // error is not allowed.
and must be written
int x[2][2] = { {1,2}, {3,4} } ;
int num;
we can write:
ptr1 = #
The symbol & is the address operator; it takes a variable as argument and returns the
memory address of that variable. The effect of the above assignment is that the address of
num is assigned to ptr1. Therefore, we say that ptr1 points to num. Figure 5.Error!
Bookmark not defined. illustrates this diagrammatically.
pt r 1 num
Figure: A simple integer pointer.
Given that ptr1 points to num, the expression
*ptr1
dereferences ptr1 to get to what it points to, and is therefore equivalent to num. The
symbol * is the dereference operator; it takes a pointer as argument and returns the
contents of the location to which it points.
In general, the type of a pointer must match the type of the data it is set to point to. A
pointer of type void*, however, will match any type. This is useful for defining pointers
which may point to data of different types, or whose type is originally unknown. A
pointer may be cast (type converted) to another type. For example,
Two operators are used for allocating and deallocating memory blocks on the heap. The
new operator takes a type as argument and allocated a memory block for an object of that
type. It returns a pointer to the allocated block. For example,
Memory allocated from the heap does not obey the same scope rules as normal
variables. For example, in
when Foo returns, the local variable str is destroyed, but the memory block
pointed to by str is not. The latter remains allocated until explicitly released
by the programmer.
The delete operator is used for releasing memory blocks allocated by new. It
takes a pointer as argument and releases the memory block to which it points. For
example:
Listing 5.1
1 #include <string.h>
5 strcpy(copy, str);
6 return copy;
7 }
Annotation (analysis)
1 This is the standard string header file which declares a variety of
functions for manipulating strings.
4 The strlen function (declared in string.h) counts the characters in its
string argument up to (but excluding) the final null character. Because
the null character is not included in the count, we add 1 to the total and
allocate an array of characters of that size.
5 The strcpy function (declared in string.h) copies its second argument
to its first, character by character, including the final null character.
str ptr
str++ ptr++
Listing 5.2
1 void CopyString (char *dest, char *src)
2 {
3 while (*dest++ = *src++)
4 ;
5 }
Annotation
3 The condition of this loop assigns the contents of src to the contents of
dest and then increments both pointers. This condition becomes 0 when
the final null character of src is copied to dest.
In turns out that an array variable (such as nums) is itself the address of
the first element of the array it represents. Hence the elements of nums can
also be referred to using pointer arithmetic on nums, that is, nums[i] is
equivalent to *(nums + i). The difference between nums and ptr is that nums
is a constant, so it cannot be made to point to anything else, whereas ptr is a
variable and can be made to point to any other integer.
Listing 5.3 shows how the HighestTemp function (shown earlier in
Listing 5.Error! Bookmark not defined.) can be improved using pointer
arithmetic.
Listing 5.3
1 int HighestTemp (const int *temp, const int rows, const int columns)
2 {
3 int highest = 0;
Annotation
1 Instead of passing an array to the function, we pass an int pointer and
two additional parameters which specify the dimensions of the array. In
this way, the function is not restricted to a specific array size.
6 The expression *(temp + i * columns + j) is equivalent to
temp[i][j] in the previous version of this function.
Listing 5.4
1 int HighestTemp (const int *temp, const int rows, const int columns)
2 {
3 int highest = 0;
defines a function pointer named Compare which can hold the address of any
function that takes two constant character pointers as arguments and returns
an integer. The string comparison library function strcmp, for example, is
such. Therefore:
Compare = &strcmp; // Compare points to strcmp function
Listing 5.5
1 int BinSearch (char *item, char *table[], int n,
2 int (*Compare)(const char*, const char*))
3 {
4 int bot = 0;
5 int top = n - 1;
6 int mid, cmp;
Annotation
1 Binary search is a well-known algorithm for searching through a sorted
list of items. The search list is denoted by table which is an array of
strings of dimension n. The search item is denoted by item.
2 Compare is the function pointer to be used for comparing item against the
array elements.
7 Each time round this loop, the search span is reduced by half. This is
repeated until the two ends of the search span (denoted by bot and top)
collide, or until a match is found.
9 The item is compared against the middle item of the array.
10 If item matches the middle item, the latter’s index is returned.
11 If item is less than the middle item, then the search is restricted to the
lower half of the array.
14 If item is greater than the middle item, then the search is restricted to the
upper half of the array.
16 Returns -1 to indicate that there was no matching item.
The following example shows how BinSearch may be called with
strcmp passed as the comparison function:
4.5.4. References
A reference introduces an alias for an object. The notation for defining
references is similar to that of pointers, except that & is used instead of *. For
example,
double num1 = 3.14;
double &num2 = num1; // num is a reference to num1
defines num2 as a reference to num1. After this definition num1 and num2 both
refer to the same object, as if they were the same variable. It should be
emphasized that a reference does not create a copy of an object, but merely a
symbolic alias for it. Hence, after
num1 = 0.16;
You can also initialize a reference to a constant. In this case a copy of the
constant is made (after any necessary type conversion) and the reference is set
to refer to the copy.
int &n = 1; // n refers to a copy of 1
The 1 in the first and the 1 in the third line are likely to be the same object
(most compilers do constant optimization and allocate both 1’s in the same
memory location). So although we expect y to be 3, it could turn out to be 4.
However, by forcing x to be a copy of 1, the compiler guarantees that the
object denoted by x will be different from both 1’s.
The most common use of references is for function parameters.
Reference parameters facilitates the pass-by-reference style of arguments, as
opposed to the pass-by-value style which we have used so far. To observe
the differences, consider the three swap functions in Listing 5.6.
Listing 5.6
1 void Swap1 (int x, int y) // pass-by-value (objects)
2 {
3 int temp = x;
4 x = y;
5 y = temp;
6 }
4.5.5. Typedefs
Typedef is a syntactic facility for introducing symbolic names for data types.
Just as a reference defines an alias for an object, a typedef defines an alias for
a type. Its main use is to simplify otherwise complicated type declarations as
an aid to improved readability. Here are a few examples:
typedef char *String;
Typedef char Name[12];
typedef unsigned int uint;
The effect of these definitions is that String becomes an alias for char*,
Name becomes an alias for an array of 12 chars, and uint becomes an alias
for unsigned int. Therefore:
String str; // is the same as: char *str;
Namename; // is the same as: char name[12];
uintn; // is the same as: unsigned int n;
The typedef introduces Compare as a new type name for any function with the
given prototype. This makes BinSearch’s signature arguably simpler.