c structs, pointer and memory allocation for fields

Question

Suppose the following code:

struct c {
  char* name;
};

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
  struct c c1;
  c1.name = "Ana";
  printf ("%s\n",c1.name);
  return 0;
}

My first reaction would have been to think that I needed to allocate some space, either on the heap, or by an explicit char name[] = "Anna", but my example above works. Is the compiler just storing that string in the Data segment and pointing to it? In other words, is that like doing a

struct c {
  char* name = "Ana";
};

Thanks.

Answer 1

struct c c1;
c1.name = "Ana";

You don't have allocate memory here because you are making the pointer c1.name point to a string literal and string literals have static storage duration. This is NOT similar to:

char name[] = "Anna";

Because in this case memory is allocated to store the sting literal and then the string literal "Anna" is copied into the array name . What you do with the struct assignment c1.name = "Ana" is similar to when you do:

char *name = "Anna";

i.e. make the pointer point to a string literal.

Answer 2

I am new to C but from what I think this could be just the same as

char *cThing;
cThing = "Things!";

where printf("%s\n", cThing); would then print "Things!", except you're declaring the pointer in a struct.