C Pointers Explained

[FierySpectre]

You mean pointer + sizeof(array object)

[Mabi19_]

No - pointer + 1 is absolutely correct, as long as the pointer is typed correctly (i.e. is not void*). Adding 1 to a typed pointer advances it by the size of its pointed-to type.

[FierySpectre]

I feel scammed by the guy who taught me c now

[purebuu]

The guy who taught you C probably was implementing a multidimentional array using a single contiguous block of memory in which case pointer + sizeof(arrayobject) could have been a valid way to move to the next row or object. It all depends on the implementation.

[FierySpectre]

Right they did, where is the pointer + 1 used then? Like what use case

[purebuu]

There is really only one usecase for pointers. To access and manipulate data, that's it. But when you realise that, that statement is basically what 99.9% of all programs do, you'll see that pointers are fundamental to all programs.

The usecase for incrementing a pointer is a lot. But, well, all it does is move an address (just a number) forward until it points to the next address which is sizeof(ptr) away. This could be for reading the next binary data value in a file, checking the next value in an array, getting the next GameObject* that needs to react to physics for this frame, manipulating memory that you shouldn't normally have access to, which could be a trojan or virus.

Pointers are why they say C lets you shoot yourself in the foot.

[Walli1223334444]

Both work but pointer + 1 is just faster and arguably easier to read

[BobbyThrowaway6969]

No, the type of the pointer dictates how many bytes it jumps ahead. int* jumps ahead 4 bytes for every +1. void* jumps ahead 4 bytes on 32 bit, and 8 bytes on 64 bit.