C Programming - Pointers - Discussion

If a variable is a pointer to a structure, the operator used to access data members of the structure through the pointer variable is: -> (Arrow operator)

Explanation:
When you have a pointer to a structure, like this:

struct Student
{
int id;
char name[20];
};

struct Student *ptr;

To access members of the structure using the pointer, you use:

ptr->id;
This is shorthand for:
(*ptr).id;
But -> is more convenient and cleaner.
For accessing members using normal structure variables.
-> For accessing members using structure pointers.

@All.

The eg Syntax is;

struct node
{
int data;
};
main(){
struct node p,*a;
P.data=10;
a=&p;
printf(" %d",a->data);
}

And Output is 10.

Dot (.) operator also used in pointers.

I did not understand this question. Please help me to get this.

I think the answer given to the question is wrong.

We can use(*p).x instead of using ->.

Pointer is a collection of data;& operator access a memory in & by Code block.

We can use either (*p).x or p->x where x is the member of the structure.

Good explanation. Thanks @Kisan.

Here we can use arrow operator to access structure members without creating structure variable that's why we used -> (arrow) operator.

Because it is a De-reference operator (->). So the data members can easily accessible.