Solution for Exercise 06_08-howdy.c

06_08-howdy.c

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
	char string[] = "Hello there, output!\n";
	char *s;
	int offset;

	/* initialize the pointer */
	s = string;
	offset = 0;

	while( *(s+offset) != '\0' )
	{
		putchar( *(s+offset) );
		offset++;
	}

	return 0;
}

Output

Hello there, output!

Notes

* The stdlib.h header file isn't required because the malloc() function isn't used in this code.

* The string is stored in array string[]. The string's contents used in your solution can be anything.

* The code uses char pointer s to track characters within the string.

* Variable offset is used to make this code work like accessing elements in an array. Technically, this variable isn't necessary. Because pointer s is initialized to string[], it can always be re-initialized; you have no risk of losing it. Therefore, offset is unnecessary, but required as part of the exercise to make this code work more like accessing elements in an array.

* Pointer s is initialized to the start of the string: s = string Brackets aren't required as the reference is to the entire string, not a single element.

* The similarity between array notation and pointer expression appears as the while loop's condition: *(s+offset) != '\0' The value of offset is incremented within the loop, which processes each location in the string.

* A similar format is used in the putchar() function: *(s+offset) This type of format is akin to string[offset]

* It's okay if you didn't use an offset-like variable in your solution. My point is to show the two formats as similar, which helps to understand how pointers are used to access information within a buffer.

Exercise 06_12-pointerok.c →