Pointer to 2D arrays in C

//defines an array of 280 pointers (1120 or 2240 bytes)
int  *pointer1 [280];

//defines a pointer (4 or 8 bytes depending on 32/64 bits platform)
int (*pointer2)[280];      //pointer to an array of 280 integers
int (*pointer3)[100][280]; //pointer to an 2D array of 100*280 integers

Using pointer2 or pointer3 produce the same binary except manipulations as ++pointer2 as pointed out by WhozCraig.

I recommend using typedef (producing same binary code as above pointer3)

typedef int myType[100][280];
myType *pointer3;

Note: Since C++11, you can also use keyword using instead of typedef

using myType = int[100][280];
myType *pointer3;

in your example:

myType *pointer;                // pointer creation
pointer = &tab1;                // assignation
(*pointer)[5][12] = 517;        // set (write)
int myint = (*pointer)[5][12];  // get (read)

Note: If the array tab1 is used within a function body => this array will be placed within the call stack memory. But the stack size is limited. Using arrays bigger than the free memory stack produces a stack overflow crash.

The full snippet is online-compilable at gcc.godbolt.org

int main()
{
    //defines an array of 280 pointers (1120 or 2240 bytes)
    int  *pointer1 [280];
    static_assert( sizeof(pointer1) == 2240, "" );

    //defines a pointer (4 or 8 bytes depending on 32/64 bits platform)
    int (*pointer2)[280];      //pointer to an array of 280 integers
    int (*pointer3)[100][280]; //pointer to an 2D array of 100*280 integers  
    static_assert( sizeof(pointer2) == 8, "" );
    static_assert( sizeof(pointer3) == 8, "" );

    // Use 'typedef' (or 'using' if you use a modern C++ compiler)
    typedef int myType[100][280];
    //using myType = int[100][280];

    int tab1[100][280];

    myType *pointer;                // pointer creation
    pointer = &tab1;                // assignation
    (*pointer)[5][12] = 517;        // set (write)
    int myint = (*pointer)[5][12];  // get (read)

    return myint;
}