From: Richard Dawe <rich AT phekda DOT freeserve DOT co DOT uk>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: Simple program.  Strange results.
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 00:27:16 +0100
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com

Hello.

Martin Stromberg wrote:
> 
> DJ Delorie (dj AT delorie DOT com) wrote:
> : >   From what I can grasp, the asterisk symbol means the same thing.
> : > Though I have yet to really grasp the proper place(s) and form(s)
> : > for its usage.
> 
> : Nope, asterisk is the inverse of ampersand.  Ampersand takes the
> : address of something, converting values into pointers that point to
> : those values.  Asterisks dereference pointers, turning pointers into
> : the values they point to.
> 
> Except when you declare/define variables and functions. Then * takes
> the place where newbies would expect &.
> 
> Then comes C++ where & is allowed in declarations/definitions too
> (with some semantics I've never bothered to look up; I don't do C++).

& is used to indicate that a variable is passed by reference in
declarations/definitions in C++. E.g.:

---Start test.cpp---
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdlib>

using namespace std;

void
blargh (int& ref)
{
   ref = 12;
}

int
main (void)
{
   int a = 5;

   blargh(a);
   printf("%d\n", a);
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}
---End test.cpp---

No idea if that will compile. But if it does, it should print 12 when it runs.
blargh modifies the int passed by reference.

I like C++'s Standard Template Library (STL) - type-safe generic container
classes. Saves you having to do generic list classes with macros in C, which
is just horrible. (I strongly dislike C macros most of the time.)

Bye, Rich =]

-- 
Richard Dawe [ http://www.phekda.freeserve.co.uk/richdawe/ ]