DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : M.Subramanyam
Designation : Senior Lecturer
Branch : Computer Engg.
Institute : Q.Q.Govt.Polytechnic,Hyderabad.
Year/Semester : III Semester
Subject : UNIX & C
Subject Code : CM-304
Topic : Unions
Duration : 50 Mts
Sub Topic : Unions
Teaching Aids : PPts,Animation
CM304.81 1
 Recap

 Define a structure .
 How to define a structure and declare structure variable?
 How to initialize and assign structure members ?
 How to find the size of the structure?
 Is the separate memory allocated for each memory?
 Is the same memory shared by all the members?

CM304.81 2
 Objectives

On completion of this period, you would be able

to know…
 Define Union.
 Declare a Union variable.
 Find the size of the Union.
 Access Union members.
 Distinguish between structures and unions.

CM304.81 3
 Unions

 It is a collection of variables.
 Which are of different types.
 It is similar to structure.
 Members share the same memory location.
 Memory can be saved.

CM304.81 4
 Declaration

Syntax keyword Union name

union tagname
{
datatype member1;
Members of union
datatype member2;
datatype member3;
------------------;
datatype membern;
}; End of the union

CM304.81 5
 Example

union sample
{
char a;
int b;
float c;
};

CM304.81 6
 Union Variable Declaration

 Syntax:
 union tagname
unionvariable(s);

 Example
 union sample u;
 u is a union variable
CM304.81 7
 sizeof Union Variable

 sizeof the largest data member in the union.

Example:
union sample u;
sizeof(u)=4 bytes

u byte1 byte2 byte3 byte4

a
b
c
Fig .1
CM304.81 8
 Accessing Members
 Dot(.) operator is used to access members.
 Only one member can be accessed at a time.
 When data in one member is stored, data in
other is lost.

b
s.a=‘A’; a A c
b
s.b=500; a A 500 c
b
s.c=55.5; a 500 55.5 c
Fig .2
CM304.81 9
Example1

CM304.81 10
Example2

CM304.81 11
Differences Between Structures and Unions

Structures
Collection of elements of
different types.
All members can be accessed
at a time.
sizeof structure variable is sum
of sizes of its members.
There is separate memory for
each member.
Unions
Collection of elements of different
types.
Only one member can be
accessed at a time.
sizeof union variable is the
largest size of its members.
There is single memory shared
by all member.

CM304.81 12
 Summary
In this class, you have learnt about
 Union is a collection of elements of different
types.
 In Union all members share the same memory
location.
 Union variable is declared using keyword union.
 Union members can be accessed using dot(.)
operator.
 Assigning values to members.

CM304.81 13
 Quiz

1)union is

a)special type of structure

b) a pointer type

c) a function type

d)none

CM304.81 14
 Quiz

1)union is

a)special type of structure

b) a pointer type

c) a function type

d)none

CM304.81 15
 Quiz

2)Union differs from structure in the following way

a)all members are used at a time

b) only one member can be used at a time

c) union can’t have more members

d)none

CM304.81 16
 Quiz

2)Union differs from structure in the following way

a)all members are used at a time

b) only one member can be used at a time

c) union can’t have more members

d)none

CM304.81 17
 Quiz

3)A union consists of a number of elements that

a)all occupy the same space in memory

b)must be structures

c) are grouped next to each other in memory

d)all have the same type

CM304.81 18
 Quiz

3)A union consists of a number of elements that

a)all occupy the same space in memory

b)must be structures

c) are grouped next to each other in memory

d)all have the same type

CM304.81 19
 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Define union.
2. Explain the declaration of a union with an
example.
3. What are the Differences between structure and
union?

CM304.81 20
 Assignment

1) Write a ‘C’ program to initialise the members of a

union and display the contents of the union. Union

contains marks(int) and grade(char) fields.

CM304.81 21