matrix - Simple c prog. error: invalid type arguement of unary '*' -

this first post here , i'm new c.

i want write program able print matrixes. should like:

---- -o-- ooo- ---- 

so want printed beginning.

my current code is:

    // 4. exercise // learn 2d arrays  #include <stdio.h>  char z; char s; char m1_ptr;   void creatematrix() {   for(z = 0; z != 4; z++)   {     (s = 0; s != 4; s++)     {       printf("%c", *m1_ptr);     }     printf("\n");   }  }    //------------------------------------------------------------------  int main() {    char o = o;   char c = '-';   // , variables matrix count:   char matrix_1 [4][4] ={{c,c,c,c},{c,o,c,c},{o,o,o,c},{c,c,c,c}};   char *m1_ptr = &matrix_1 [z][s];    creatematrix(matrix_1 [0][0]);    /* for(z = 0; z != 4; z++)   {     (s = 0; s != 4; s++)     {       printf("%c", matrix_1 [z][s]);     }     printf("\n");   } */   return 0;  } 

it works if put void function main, since there more matrixes coming want in function make more readable.

if compile error message:

"line17: error: invalid type argument of unary '*' ('have int')" (edit: line 17 says "printf("c......")

i looked @ other questions, since understand super simple programs yet didn't work out me.

does know how fixed? (it nice if answer explains why, since have little experience pointers)

i think looking this:

#include <stdio.h>  #define row 4 #define column 4  void printmatrix(int rowlength, int columnlength, char matrix[rowlength][columnlength]) {      int rowcount, columncount;      for(rowcount = 0; rowcount < rowlength; rowcount++) {          for(columncount = 0; columncount < columnlength; columncount++)             printf("%c", matrix[rowcount][columncount]);          printf("\n");     }   }   int main() {      char o = 'o';     char c = '-';     char matrix_1 [row][column] = {                             {c,c,c,c},                             {c,o,c,c},                             {o,o,o,c},                             {c,c,c,c}                            };      printmatrix(row, column, matrix_1);       return 0;  } 

it prints pattern want