Dynamic Memory Allocation (DMA)

 If memory is allocated at runtime (during execution of program) then it is called

dynamic memory.
 It allocates memory from heap (heap: it is an empty area in memory)
 Memory can be accessed only through a pointer.

When DMA is needed?

 It is used when number of variables are not known in advance or large in size.
 Memory can be allocated at any time and can be released at any time during
runtime.

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malloc() function
 malloc () is used to allocate a fixed amount of memory during the execution of a
program.
 malloc () allocates size_in_bytes of memory from heap, if the allocation
succeeds, a pointer to the block of memory is returned else NULL is returned.
 Allocated memory space may not be contiguous.
 Each block contains a size, a pointer to the next block, and the space itself.
 The blocks are kept in ascending order of storage address, and the last block points
to the first.
 The memory is not initialized.
Syntax Description
ptr_var = (cast_type *) This statement returns a pointer to size_in_bytes of uninitialized
malloc (size_in_bytes);
storage, or NULL if the request cannot be satisfied.

Example: fp = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int) *20);

2
Write a C program to allocate memory using malloc.

Program
1 #include <stdio.h>
2 void main()
3 {
4 int *fp; //fp is a pointer variable
5 fp = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int)); //returns a pointer to int size storage
6 *fp = 25; //store 25 in the address pointed by fp
7 printf("%d", *fp); //print the value of fp, i.e. 25
8 free(fp); //free up the space pointed to by fp
9 }

Output
25

3
calloc() function
 calloc() is used to allocate a block of memory during the execution of a
program
 calloc() allocates a region of memory to hold no_of_blocks of size_of_block
each, if the allocation succeeds then a pointer to the block of memory is returned
else NULL is returned.
 The memory is initialized to ZERO.

Syntax Description
ptr_var = (cast_type *) This statement returns a pointer to no_of_blocks of size
calloc (no_of_blocks,
size_of_block); size_of_blocks, it returns NULL if the request cannot be satisfied.

Example:
int n = 20;
fp = (int *)calloc(n, sizeof(int));

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Write a C program to allocate memory using calloc.
Program
1 #include <stdio.h>
2 void main()
3 {
4 int i, n; //i, n are integer variables
5 int *fp; //fp is a pointer variable
6 printf("Enter how many numbers: ");
7 scanf("%d", &n);
8 fp = (int *)calloc(n, sizeof(int)); //calloc returns a pointer to n blocks
9 for(i = 0; i < n; i++) //loop through until all the blocks are read
10 {
11 scanf("%d",fp); //read and store into location where fp points
12 fp++; //increment the pointer variable
13 }
14 free(fp); //frees the space pointed to by fp
}

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realloc() function
 realloc() changes the size of the object pointed to by pointer fp to specified
size.
 The contents will be unchanged up to the minimum of the old and new sizes.
 If the new size is larger, the new space will be uninitialized.
 realloc() returns a pointer to the new space, or NULL if the request cannot be
satisfied, in which case *fp is unchanged.

Syntax Description
ptr_var = (cast_type *) This statement returns a pointer to new space, or NULL if the request
realloc (void *fp,
size_t); cannot be satisfied.

Example: fp = (int *)realloc(fp,sizeof(int)*20);

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Write a C program to allocate memory using realloc.
Program
1 #include <stdio.h>
2 void main()
3 {
4 int *fp; //fp is a file pointer
5 fp = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int)); //malloc returns a pointer to int size storage
6 *fp = 25; //store 25 in the address pointed by fp
7 fp =(int *)realloc(fp, 2*sizeof(int)); //returns a pointer to new space
8 printf("%d", *fp); //print the value of fp
9 free(fp); //free up the space pointed to by fp
}

Output
25

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free() function
 free deallocates the space pointed to by fp.
 It does nothing if fp is NULL.
 fp must be a pointer to space previously allocated by calloc, malloc or realloc.

Syntax Description
void free(void *); This statement free up the memory not needed anymore.

Example: free(fp);

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Write a C program to sort numbers using malloc
Program Program (cont.)
1 #include<stdio.h> 17 if(p[i] > p[j])
2 #include<stdlib.h> 18 {
3 void main() 19 t = p[i];
4 { 20 p[i] = p[j];
5 int i,j,t,n; 21 p[j] = t;
6 int *p; 22 }
7 printf("Enter value of n: "); 23 }
8 scanf("%d", &n); 24 }
9 p=(int *) malloc(n * sizeof(int)); 25 printf("Ascending order\n");
10 printf("Enter values\n"); 26 for(i=0; i<n; i++)
11 for(i=0; i<n; i++) 27 printf("%d\n", p[i]);
12 scanf("%d", &p[i]); 28 free(p);
13 for(i=0; i<n; i++) 29 }
14 {
15 for(j= i+1; j<n; j++)
16 {

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Write a C program to find square of numbers using calloc
Program Output
1 #include<stdio.h> Enter value of n: 3
2 #include<stdlib.h> Enter values
3 void main() 3
4 { 2
5 int i,n; 5
6 int *p; Square of 3 = 9
7 printf("Enter value of n: "); Square of 2 = 4
8 scanf("%d",&n); Square of 5 = 25
9 p=(int*)calloc(n,sizeof(int));
10 printf("Enter values\n");
11 for(i=0;i<n;i++)
12 scanf("%d",&p[i]);
13 for(i=0;i<n;i++)
14 printf("Square of %d = %d\
15 n", p[i], p[i] * p[i]);
16 free(p);
17 }

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Write a C program to add/remove item from a list using realloc
Program Program (cont.)
1 #include<stdio.h> 18
2 #include<stdlib.h> 19 printf("Enter new size of list: ");
3 void main() 20 scanf("%d", &n2);
4 { 21
5 int i, n1, n2; 22 fp = realloc(fp, n2 * sizeof(int));
6 int *fp; 23 if(n2 > n1)
7 printf("Enter size of list: "); 24 {
8 scanf("%d", &n1); 25 printf("Enter %d numbers\
9 fp=(int *) malloc (n1 * sizeof(int)); 26 n", n2 - n1);
10 27 for(i = n1; i < n2; i++)
11 printf("Enter %d numbers\n", n1); 28 scanf("%d", &fp[i]);
12 for(i = 0; i < n1; i++) 29 }
13 scanf("%d", &fp[i]); 30 printf("The numbers in the list are\n");
14 31 for(i = 0; i < n2; i++)
15 printf("The numbers in the list are\n"); 32 printf("%d\n", fp[i]);
16 for(i = 0; i < n1; i++) }
17 printf("%d\n", fp[i]);

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Practice Programs
1) Write a C program to calculate sum of n numbers entered by user.
2) Write a C program to input and print text using DMA
3) Write a C program to read and print student details using structure and DMA

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