What's the difference btn char * and char[]

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What is the difference between char *a and char a[20]?
Please show me a simple example for an explanation. Don't make it too complex.

Thanks in advance!

Posted 29-Mar-11 23:25pm

UL UL ALBAB

Updated 29-Mar-11 23:31pm

Manfred Rudolf Bihy

v2

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Olivier Levrey · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-29T23:42:00

char* a declares a pointer to a char. You can re-assign a anytime:

char* a = "a string";
a = "another string";

char a[20] declares a fixed size array. You can't change the value of a, but you can chande the content of the array:

char a[20] = "a string";
//this will not compile
a = "another string";
//but this will
strcpy(a, "another string");
//be carefull though not to copy more than 20 characters
//or you will have a buffer overflow

Niklas L · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-30T01:10:00

Solution 3

If you're interested, there is a more in-depth discussion here ->
When declare char Str[16] then Str is a pointer?[^]

Posted 30-Mar-11 1:10am

Niklas L

Comments

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 30-Mar-11 7:21am

Good link! 5+

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 30-Mar-11 14:40pm

I don't know if it helps, but... my 5. I doubt, because that old discussion was almost a flame war :-) however, the final state of it looks like a consensus. On this page, the Answer by Olivier explains it all.
--SA

Manfred Rudolf Bihy · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-29T23:36:00

Solution 1

char *a is only a pointer to a character and besides the space for the reference variable there is no space alotted for storing anything.
char b[20] reserves space for 20 characters that can be readily used.

This page has an good description: http://c-faq.com/aryptr/index.html[^]

Cheers,

Posted 29-Mar-11 23:36pm

Manfred Rudolf Bihy

Updated 29-Mar-11 23:40pm

v2

Comments

Аslam Iqbal 30-Mar-11 5:46am

"char *a is only a pointer to a character" Really? char *a is a pointer and it can be dynamically allocated any length of character. bytheway it was too close. my 4

Niklas L 30-Mar-11 7:00am

It only points to the first character. It doesn't point to any other characters in the sequence.

Manfred Rudolf Bihy 30-Mar-11 7:13am

That's what I said. It is just a pointer with no memory allocated for any chars. I'm not sure what you are talking about, but if you want you can try to explain.
(And a 4 is OK by me :) )