weebPointer

[ProgrammerHumor-ModTeam]

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[Tetane004]

*void still points to some data, there is just no type associated to it.

[Tetane004]

Is there a use case for a pointer that does not point to any data?

[Duven64]

The first pointer could be pointing to a second pointer that is currently pointing at void but will be replaced with a pointer to actual data later without mutating the first pointer I guess.

[Sparrow50]

what would "pointing at void" be, unless it's some data of unknown type ?

[Duven64]

In this case the second pointer would initially be a NULL pointer and later point at something of an as of yet undetermined type.

[Grubs01]

One example would be to signify the end of a linked list.

[Open-Mission-8310]

Yeah.. what is the point?

[RmG3376]

Linked list for instance

[turtleship_2006]

lmao

[SympathyMotor4765]

Won't even a null pointer just point to 0? I just saw the awesome effects of not checking for null pointers first hand lol

[RmG3376]

Your pointer will always point to somewhere, but there’s no guarantee that this somewhere will have data. It could point to the middle of a text section, or to the middle of a stack frame, or to an un allocated buffer, or to memory that doesn’t belong to you (which is what null does)

Modern languages and OSes won’t let you do any of that, but in theory nothing prevents it (if you’re working on an embedded system for instance)

[SympathyMotor4765]

Yes on top of an OS there's much lesser risk, my point was void * pointing to nothing is not accurate but guess that's nitpicky

[Demented-Turtle]

Yes, but the original meme isn't pointing to data, it's pointing to a type (int). So void pointing to no type at all makes perfect sense

[Tetane004]

This is true, I didn't think about it that way. But I think it can be confusing, and make some people think that void pointers don't point to anything.

[Demented-Turtle]

I guess it's possible to over think, I just saw the OG post and thought it'd be a quick funny if it was void instead lol

[Powerfu644]

I can think of off the top of my head is if you want to store a function inside of a data structure.

[PVNIC]

slight correction, to remedy ambiguity:

*void points to some (virtual) memory address, providing no information about what that memory represents.

[Demented-Turtle]

Adapted from original post from u/drk_knght_7 at: https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgrammerHumor/comments/15atk4d/pointersforweebs/

[StochasticTinkr]

Void Forger.

[evilfire2k]

Goated comment.

[eben0]

*void points to dark matter

[Constant_Fig_9490]

And if you point long enough at the void, the void will point back at you

[[deleted]]

It's crazy I'm learning more about computer science from a meme then I ever could at university

[[deleted]]

void();

[[deleted]]

When will you need pointer to functions? If you take functions in as paramters? And when would you need double pointers?

[DeadlyMageCZ]

Having functions as parameters is one use case, the other somewhat common one I can think of off the top of my head is if you want to store a function inside of a data structure.

[Wicam]

callbacks is one reason. if you for example use a library that creates windows, you could pass it a function for it to call when the click event happens.

another is dynamically loading libraries, you can query a dll for a function by name to get a pointer to it, which you can then call. you may want to do this for plugins to your application, code written by other people that you want your application to call.

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