Solution for Exercise 19-10

ex1910

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    char alpha = 'A';
    int x;
    char *pa;

    pa = &alpha;        /* initialize pointer */

    for(x=0;x<26;x++)
        putchar((*pa)++);
    putchar('\n');

    return(0);
}

Notes

* The (*pa)++ notation demonstrates the power of the pointer. It illustrates how the same variable can both manipulate a value at a location and potentially change locations as well. (Although in this example the location stored in pa doesn't change.)

* You need to specify parentheses with (*pa)++because the *pa++ operation would represent the value at location pa, but then increment pa. Instead, (*pa)++ affects only the value at pa.

* This example, specifically Line 12, also shows you how pointer notation can get entirely confusing with little effort.

Exercise ex1911 →