> Pointers > Arrays of pointers

Arrays of pointers

An array of pointers is an array variable whose elements are all be pointers.

Code example

char *str[3]; // creates an array of three pointers to char

str[0] = "IN";
str[1] = "OUT";
str[2] = "TRISTATE";

The array str[] itself is like any other array. Each element, such as str[1], is a pointers to char.

Array of pointers

Strings will not “pack” this nicely! There will be empty locations between strings as the compiler aligns the strings in memory.

Initialization

A pointer array element may be initialized just like its ordinary variable counterpart.

Code example

str[0] = &n;

When using strings:

Code example

str[0] = "String";

To use the value pointed to by a pointer array element, just dereference it like you would an ordinary variable

Code example

m = *str[0];

Using *str[0] is the same as using the object it points to, such as n or the string literal "String".

Arrays are frequently treated like pointers. An array name alone represents the address of its first element.