What's the difference between the two pointer operators in the code gen?

In code generation using Simulink coder the pointers can be used in two different ways:

(*ptr).variable or ptr->variable

What is the difference? When coder uses one or the other?

thanks

Answer 1

[James Tursa]

I don't know why the Coder will produce one form vs the other form, but by definition in the C language they mean exactly the same thing to the C compiler.

[Rusczak]

Exactly, that's why my question. Maybe it does that for specific storage classes. I noticed that for inputs the -> is used and for mpt signals the (*ptr) is more common. Thanks for the reply!

[James Tursa]

My first WAG is that maybe two different groups of people at TMW produced the Coder logic for the two different cases, and one group preferred the (*ptr).variable syntax while the other group preferred the ptr->variable syntax.

[Walter Roberson]

In my experience (*ptr).variable becomes more probable with mechanical code generation that is traversing data structures looking for the correct field, whereas ptr->variable is more probable when you already know you are at the correct location. They mean the same, but when you are doing mechanical code generation you tend to be thinking of "current location" as an emphasis that tends to lead more to *ptr syntax.