Pointers, structs, and functions, oh my!

Hey, here's a real quick question:

How do I pass an array of structs as a pointer to a void function?

I'm in the middle of learning pointers and I'm a complete n00b at pointers. Maybe something like:

Code:

---

struct FOO
{
    int foo;
};

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *foo[]);

int main()
{

    FOO foo[5];

    I_eat_foo_too(&foo);        //Hmm....
 
}

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *foo[])
{
    foo[0]->foo = 123;
}

---

First, I absolutely love the title of your post :)

Anyways, here how I would do it. It's always safest to pass the length of the array, too, so that in the function you can check that the index is in bounds.

Code:

---

struct FOO
{
    int foo;
};

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *foo[]);

int main()
{

    FOO foo[5];

    I_eat_foo_too(foo, 5); 
    // The name of an array is just a pointer to the first
    // element of the array!
 
}

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *foo, int fooLength)
{
    foo[0]->foo = 123;
}

---

Code:

---

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO (*foo)[5]);
...

FOO foo[5];
I_eat_foo_too(&foo);

---

Hi,

You and codegirl are both actually declaring the parameter of the function as an array of FOO pointers. Your question does not require that the parameter to the function be an array of pointers, but rather you require a single pointer to an array of FOO structures, so you can use either of the following methods to declare your function:

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO my_array[]);

or

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO* parray);

and you would call the function like this for both declarations:

FOO foo[5];

I_eat_foo_too(foo);

That is a fairly obvious way to call the function for the first declaration, but it also works for the second declaration since an array name is actually a pointer.

In addition, you will not use the -> operator to access the data members of the elements of the array since the elements of the array aren't pointers, rather the elements of the array are FOO structs, so you need to use the . operator to access the data members:

my_array[0].foo = 123; //for the first declaration

or

parray[0].foo = 123;//for the second declaration

I hope that helps.

Oh cool. Hey codegirl, I think you ment to make the function prototype like this:

Code:

---

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *foo);

---

instead of

Code:

---

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *foo[]);

---

Right?
I'm also kind of unclear on why you dont use -> to acess member variables, since your passing it as a pointer. Seems strange.
Thanks guys for the help.

I believe the '->' is used like this:

instead of typing "(*ptr).a;" you can type this "ptr->a;"

Typically used in linked lists.

See my Signature

Code:

---

|
 |
\ /
 "

---

Click Pointers And Memory

-LC

"I'm also kind of unclear on why you dont use -> to acess member variables"

Its simple: you use the -> operator on pointers to objects, and the . operator on objects. So, you have to ask yourself whether the elements of your array are objects or pointers to objects. How you pass the array to the function is irrelevant.

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

struct FOO
{
    int foo;
};

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *foo);

int main()
{
    FOO foo[5];
    I_eat_foo_too(foo); 
    system("PAUSE");
   
}

void I_eat_foo_too(FOO *f)
{
  f[0].foo = 12;
  cout << f[0].foo << endl;
  (*f).foo = 13;
  cout << f[0].foo << endl;
  f->foo = 14;
  cout << f[0].foo << endl;
}

---

This seems to work fine on my compiler, I used three different ways of assigning values to the struct. Hope this is correct :)