(原創) array和pointer一樣嗎? (C/C++) (C)
由於array可以自動轉成pointer,所以很多人誤以為array就是pointer,如以下程式...
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#include <iostream>
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using namespace std;
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int main() {
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int ia[] = {0, 1, 2};
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int *p = ia;
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int *eof_ia = ia + sizeof(ia) / sizeof(int);
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while(p < eof_ia) {
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cout << *p++ << endl;
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}
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}
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第七行,int *p = ia;若以數學角度,p和ia是相等的,而p是pointer,ia是array,所以推得pointer就是array,但C/C++並非如此,這個=是assignment的意思,也就是將array ia assign給pointer p,經過自動轉型後,將array ia第一個element的address assign給pointer p,這也是為什麼Pascal語系的assignment使用:=而非=,就是為了要跟數學區別,以免誤解。
再做一個實驗,假如array就是pointer,理論上以下的程式將可compile成功並且執行。
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#include <iostream>
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using namespace std;
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int main() {
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int ia[] = {0, 1, 2};
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int *eof_ia = ia + sizeof(ia) / sizeof(int);
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while(ia < eof_ia) {
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cout << *ia++ << endl;
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}
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}
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compiler在11行不能過,可見pointer的取值方式並不適用於array,必須改成array專屬的subscripting方式才能取值。
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#include <iostream>
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using namespace std;
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int main() {
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int ia[] = {0, 1, 2};
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int ia_size = sizeof(ia) / sizeof(int);
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int i = 0;
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while(i < ia_size) {
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cout << ia[i++] << endl;
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}
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}
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Conclusion
array並非pointer,但array可以自動轉型成pointer,這也是array傳進function後變成pointer的理論基礎。
See Also
(原創) 當array傳至function時,是pass by value還是pass by address? (C/C++) (C)