If you want to hold a whole series of different values about something in a C program, you'll define yourself a structure (or struct.). You give a type and name to each of the elements in the structure, and then you give an overall variable name to each instance of the struct that you create.

Here, for example, I am defining a type called "result" - to hold everything about the results of a test, for example:

typedef struct {
     int lowlim;
     int highlim;
     int pass;
     int range;
     float dut_out;
     } result;

So far, I have only defined a type .. not any actual variables that contain results; I can declare those in the way I normally declare variables, including defining pointers to them if I wish:

  result *current
  result first;
  result second;

Elements within a structure variable can be referenced (set or read) using a "." notation - for example:

  second.dut_out = 50.0;
  printf("The range was %d\n",second.range);

If you want to reference elements within a referenced struct (such as current in our example) you COULD write:
(*current).range
but that gets messy and an alternative, bracket-free notation is available:
current->range

You'll use pointers to structs very commonly indeed - to pass them around between function, to define them dynamically with calloc and realloc, etc.

Full source code example, showing all the things I have mentioned above, [HERE].

(written 2010-01-13)

 C209 - C and C based languages - Structures and Unions
  [1478] Some new C programming examples - files, structs, unions etc - (2007-12-19)
  [1572] C - structs and unions, C++ classes and polymorphism - (2008-03-13)
  [1584] Using Structs and Unions together effectively in C - (2008-03-21)
  [1669] What are Unions (C programming) - (2008-06-08)
  [3122] When is a program complete? - (2011-01-06)
  [3145] Structures v Structure Pointers in C. How, which, why. - (2011-01-25)
  [3386] Adding the pieces together to make a complete language - C - (2011-08-11)

Back to The what and why of C pointers

Previous and next or Horse's mouth home

Forward to Summary of Wiltshire Core Strategy responses

Complete teaching example - C++, inheritance, polymorphism
What does const mean? C and C++
Sharing variables between files of code in C - extern
Summary of Wiltshire Core Strategy responses
C Structs - what, how and why
The what and why of C pointers
Reading and writing files in C
Function Prototypes in C
How to run a successful online poll / petition / survey / consultation
Forums for your Melksham and open source discussions