Question

int valueToWrite = 0xFFFFFFFF;
static char buffer2[256];
int* writePosition = (int* ) &buffer2[5];
*writePosition = valueToWrite;

//OR
* ((int*) &buffer2[10] ) = valueToWrite;

Now, I ask you guys which one do you find more readable. The 2 step technique involving a temporary variable or the one step technique?

Do not worry about optimization, they both optimize to the same thing, as you can see here.
Just tell me which one is more readable for you.

or  DWORD PTR ?buffer2@?1??main@@9@4PADA+5, -1
or  DWORD PTR ?buffer2@?1??main@@9@4PADA+10, -1

Answer 1

int* writePosition = (int* ) &buffer2[5]

Or

*((int*) &buffer2[10] ) = valueToWrite;

Are both incorrect because on some platforms access to unaligned values (+5 +10) may cost hundreds of CPU cycles and on some (like older ARM) it would cause an illegal operation.

The correct way is:

memcpy( buffer+5, &valueToWrite, sizeof(valueToWrite));

And it is more readable.