Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 24 Hours, Third Edition

Pointers and Array Names

In C++ an array name is a constant pointer to the first element of the array. Therefore, in the declaration

CAT Family[50];

Family is a pointer to &Family[0], which is the address of the first element of the array Family.

It is legal to use array names as constant pointers, and vice versa. Therefore, Family + 4 is a legitimate way of accessing the data at Family[4].

The compiler does all the arithmetic when you add to, increment, and decrement pointers. The address accessed when you write Family + 4 isn't 4 bytes past the address of Family—it is four objects past it. If each object is 4 bytes long, Family + 4 is 16 bytes. If each object is a CAT that has four long member variables of 4 bytes each and two short member ...