Question

In code I would typically use:

#include <stdlib.h>

void dref1(char **blah)
{
    (*blah)[0] = 'a';
    (*blah)[1] = 'z';
    (*blah)[2] = 0x00;
}

/* or */

void dref2(char **blah)
{
    char *p = *blah;

    *p++ = 'w';
    *p++ = 't';
    *p = 0x00;
}


int main(void)
{
    char *buf = malloc(3);

    dref1(&buf);
    puts(buf);
    dref2(&buf);
    puts(buf);
    free(buf);

    return 0;
}

My question is if it is possible / how to dereference and increment pointer directly:

**blah = 'q';       /* OK as (*blah)[0] ? */
(*blah)++;          /* Why not this? */
*((*blah)++) = 'w'; /* ;or. */
...

Answer 1

Yes, we can. Just test a litter. I think you have the idea.

The problem with using blah the way you write, is, that when you come back to main, not only the content of the buffer is changed (correctly as you whant), but the pointer buf itself too. That may be not what you want, and definetivily not what you need to free.

Test:

#include <stdlib.h>

void dref1(char **blah)
{
    (*blah)[0] = 'a';
    (*blah)[1] = 'z';
    (*blah)[2] = 0x00;
}

/* or */

void dref2(char **blah)
{
    char *p = *blah;

    *p++ = 'w';
    *p++ = 't';
    *p = 0x00;
}

void dref3(char **blah)
{
    *(*blah)++ = 'w';
    *(*blah)++ = 't';
    *(*blah) = 0x00;
}

void dref4(char **blah)
{
    **blah = 'q';       /* OK as (*blah)[0] ? */
    (*blah)++;          /* Why not this? */
    *((*blah)++) = 'w'; /* ;or. */

}


int main(void)
{
    char *buf = (char*)malloc(3);
    char *buf1=buf;
    dref1(&buf);
    puts(buf);
    dref2(&buf);
    puts(buf);
    dref3(&buf);
    puts(buf);
    puts(buf1);

    buf=buf1;
    dref4(&buf);
    puts(buf);
    puts(buf1);

    free(buf1);

    return 0;
}