structure & typedef

[beely]

i need to discover the usage of" node ptr "-vs- "node *ptr"

well.... can you find out the problem is ? describe more about the different? i'm still dont know the how to write the syntax and even dont know what's the usage of the 2 options.

how about "typedef" usage?

--------------------------------------------------------
void test(getnode *ptr);

#include <stdio.h>

typedef struct {
	int a;
	int b;
} NODE;

int main ()
{
	NODE getnode;
	NODE *ptr;

	printf ("Please enter your num > ");
	scanf ("%d",&getnode.a);

	printf ("Please enter your 2nd num > ");
	scanf ("%d",&ptr->b);

	printf ("your ans is ... %d and %d\n\n", getnode.a, ptr->b);

	return 0;
}

Code Tags added by Hammer

[Hammer]

>>NODE *ptr;
This is a pointer to a node. Its is not a node. Therefore you cannot assign values to the node because there isn't one (yet). you need to point is at a node before you can use it.


>>NODE getnode;
This is a node, and you can assign to it.

If you did this:
>>ptr = &getnode;
then you could assign values to ptr->a and getnode.a, but both would be updating the same struct.

[beely]

how bout "typedef" -vs- normal variable?
eg :

>> typedef int a;

and

>> int a;

so what's the different actually?

[Magos]

What you've done there is made a typed definition of an int, so this:

a MyVar;

is the same as:

int MyVar;

(Kinda pointless...)
What you could do is:

typedef unsigned long int ULINT

So instead of typing unsigned long int every time you want to declare such a variable, you simply type ULINT.

Or make a typed definition of a structure so you don't have to type struct all the time when using it:

typedef struct
{
int Xpos;
int Ypos;
}POSITION;

Or if you want a datatype of enumerated values:

typedef enum
{
LEFT,
RIGHT,
UP,
DOWN
}DIRECTION;

The possibilities are endless .

[beely]

you mean typedef and normal def is still the same?

[elad]

yes.......and no.

#def int MAX 8

is a preprocessor directive. Wherever MAX appears in the code it will be replaced by the value 8.

typedef int a;

Now a is a new type. Just like int, char, double, float are types. The compiler will probably substitute int wherever it sees the type name a, so in that sense it is like a def. However, you can create pointers to type a, declare references to type a, use type a in arrays, etc. all of which you can't do with a plain def. In addition MAX can only be 8 and never anything else. But an instance of a may be declared a constant, in which case it can't be changed from the declared value just like the def, or may be left as a variable, in which case it may be any valid int.

[Magos]

Originally posted by beely
you mean typedef and normal def is still the same?

Eh... Normal def?

typedef int MyOwnInt;

int BeelysVariable;
MyOwnInt MagosVariable;

Both variables are integers. You usually don't use typedef on simple things like this, but on larger more complex structures to save time and space.

Basically, what typedef do is make a new datatype out of something. Having data typed is nice. All of a sudden you can return several variables from a function (see my typedef struct example).
You can use it like you use a normal datatype, like int and char.

[beely]

oh, you mean that typdef is useful for complex code? i get it now.
then how to define / write the code for the typedef, give me example pls.

[Hammer]

The answer's already been given... but here's another example

#include <stdio.h>

typedef int NUMBER;

int main(void)
{
    NUMBER i;
    
    i = 10;
    
    printf("%d\n", i);
    	
    return 0;
}

[beely]

oh then, thanks you all guys.