Question

struct Values {
char *pValue;   //character string
int nBytes; //amount of bytes
};

struct Movie {
Values *pMovieTitle;    //Name of Movie
};

Movie *myMovie;

1) What is the equivalent syntax of this line of code using the * and . operators?

myMovie->pMovieTitle->pValue;

I tried

(*myMovie).pMovieTitle->pValue

which works, however

(*myMovie).(*pMovieTitle).pValue

Doesn’t work.

2) Why are there two arrow operators when there are three pointers? myMovie, pMovieTitle and pValue are all pointers.

For example there are two arrow operators for this line of code:

myMovie->pMovieTitle->pValue;

and there are two arrow operators for this line of code:

myMovie->pMovieTitle->nBytes;

Even though pValue is a pointer and nBytes is not.

Answer 1

1. Your second attempt should be (*(*myMovie).pMovieTitle).pvalue; you can’t dereference a struct member, only the value returned after accessing said member.

2. The fact that pValue is a pointer is irrelevant; -> is used when the object on the left is a struct pointer, regardless of the type of the member named on the right.