Unions

1.  union WeightType
3. {
5.     long wtInOunces;
7.     int wtInPounds;
9.     float wtInTons;
11. };
13. WeightType weight;

    At run time, the memory space allocated to the variable weight does not include room for three distinct components. Instead, weight can contain only one of the following: either a long value or an int value or a float value. The assumption is that the program will never need a weight in ounces, a wight in pounds, and a wight in tons simultaneously while executing. The purpose of a union is to conserve memory by forcing several values to use the same memory space, one at a time. The following code shows how the weight variable might be used.

1. weight.wtInTons = 8.43;
2.  .
3.  .
4. //Weight in tons is no longer needed. Reuse the memory spaces 
6. weight.wtInPounds = 35;
7.  . 
8.  .

 

After the last assignment statement, the previous float value 8.43 is gone, replaced by the int values 35.