Correct syntax for initialization of a pointer to an array

Question

How can I initialize pointer to an array in C correctly

Here is my code

int (*data[10]);
int a[10];
data = &a[0]; /* gives a warning "int *" cannot be assigned to entity of "int (*)[10]" */

How can I get rid of this warning?

Answer 1

1. Declare a pointer to an array correctly:

    int (*data)[10]; 

2. Assign a pointer to an array to it:

    int a[10]; data = &a; 

Answer 2

I believe your parenthesis are wrong. You need:

int (*data)[10];

Note that you can use cdecl.org to get help with these things.

For your original code it says:

declare data as array 10 of pointer to int

For mine it says:

declare data as pointer to array 10 of int

Answer 3

The variable data is an array of pointer, and you try to assign to it a single pointer. If you want to declare data as a pointer to an array you have to re-arrange the parentheses:

int (*data)[10];

I recommend you read about the clockwise/spiral rule .

Answer 4

int **data;
int a[10];
data = &a;

you can define data as other suggested: int (*date)[10];
but i believe that using it as a double pointer will make more seance the day you wish to change the size of that array from 10 to anything else !