Pointer ^_^

[FunyBunyFartAHH]

Uhhh I got a question..... I never really got the idea of pointers, could some one tell me the real purpose? to save space? ahhhhhhhh.... I mean I know the code and all but I need to know the true concept of it.....

[transcendental]

In C, to pass something by reference, instead by value. However in C++ we have 'references' to do this.

But this is not the only use of pointers in C++(Hint: polymorphism).

[JasonLpz]

here is a simple, sample of a int pointer in c++6 console.

[transcendental]

To add, pointers are used in the dynamic memory allocations.

[kedaman]

pointers make life harder for programmers.
pointers represent indirection, meaning you have a variable storing the memory address of the actual variable, the name says it: they're not the variables themselves, they point to the variable.

[FunyBunyFartAHH]

Right, but what is the advantage of knowing and pointing to a variable? Who cares whats the location of the variable? its all FFA84kdhd yada yada yada, what is it good for?

[kedaman]

nobody actually cares about the addresses, thats why its so bloody stupid and makes life a pain for programmers. In other languages all variables are indirectly referenced anyway, so the actual advantage in C/C++ is that variables don't have to be indirectly referenced, which saves you loads of performance, but when doing anything else pointers are just lowlevel pain.

[sunburnt]

heres a classic use. Consider this definition:

template <class sometype>
struct NODE
{
     sometype value;
     NODE<sometype> *next;
};

int main()
{
     NODE<int> x;
     return 0;
}

Now try to compile this

template <class sometype>
struct NODE
{
     sometype value;
     NODE<sometype> next;
};

int main()
{
     NODE<int> x;
     return 0;
}