10/07/2017 References to Pointers

References to Pointers
Visual Studio 2015

 
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References to pointers can be declared in much the same way as references to objects. Declaring a reference to a pointer
yields a modifiable value that is used like a normal pointer.

Example
The following code samples illustrate the difference between using a pointer to a pointer and a reference to a pointer.

Functions Add1 and Add2 are functionally equivalent (although they are not called the same way). The difference is that Add1
uses double indirection whereas Add2 uses the convenience of a reference to a pointer.

// references_to_pointers.cpp
// compile with: /EHsc

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

// STL namespace
using namespace std;

enum {
sizeOfBuffer = 132
};

// Define a binary tree structure.

struct BTree {
char *szText;
BTree *Left;
BTree *Right;
};

// Define a pointer to the root of the tree.

BTree *btRoot = 0;

int Add1( BTree **Root, char *szToAdd );

int Add2( BTree*& Root, char *szToAdd );
void PrintTree( BTree* btRoot );

int main( int argc, char *argv[] ) {

// Usage message
if( argc < 2 ) {
cerr << "Usage: Refptr [1 | 2]" << "\n";
cerr << "\nwhere:\n";
cerr << "1 uses double indirection\n";
cerr << "2 uses a reference to a pointer.\n";

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cerr << "\nInput is from stdin.\n";
return 1;
}

char *szBuf = new char[sizeOfBuffer];

if (szBuf == NULL) {
cerr << "Out of memory!\n";
return -1;
}

// Read a text file from the standard input device and

// build a binary tree.
//while( !cin.eof() )
{
cin.get( szBuf, sizeOfBuffer, '\n' );
cin.get();

if ( strlen( szBuf ) ) {
switch ( *argv[1] ) {
// Method 1: Use double indirection.
case '1':
Add1( &btRoot, szBuf );
break;
// Method 2: Use reference to a pointer.
case '2':
Add2( btRoot, szBuf );
break;
default:
cerr << "Illegal value '"
<< *argv[1]
<< "' supplied for add method.\n"
<< "Choose 1 or 2.\n";
return -1;
}
}
}
// Display the sorted list.
PrintTree( btRoot );
}

// PrintTree: Display the binary tree in order.

void PrintTree( BTree* MybtRoot ) {
// Traverse the left branch of the tree recursively.
if ( btRoot->Left )
PrintTree( btRoot->Left );

// Print the current node.

cout << btRoot->szText << "\n";

// Traverse the right branch of the tree recursively.

if ( btRoot->Right )
PrintTree( btRoot->Right );
}

// Add1: Add a node to the binary tree.

// Uses double indirection.
int Add1( BTree **Root, char *szToAdd ) {
if ( (*Root) == 0 ) {
(*Root) = new BTree;
(*Root)->Left = 0;
(*Root)->Right = 0;

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(*Root)->szText = new char[strlen( szToAdd ) + 1];

strcpy_s((*Root)->szText, (strlen( szToAdd ) + 1), szToAdd );
return 1;
}
else {
if ( strcmp( (*Root)->szText, szToAdd ) > 0 )
return Add1( &((*Root)->Left), szToAdd );
else
return Add1( &((*Root)->Right), szToAdd );
}
}

// Add2: Add a node to the binary tree.

// Uses reference to pointer
int Add2( BTree*& Root, char *szToAdd ) {
if ( Root == 0 ) {
Root = new BTree;
Root->Left = 0;
Root->Right = 0;
Root->szText = new char[strlen( szToAdd ) + 1];
strcpy_s( Root->szText, (strlen( szToAdd ) + 1), szToAdd );
return 1;
}
else {
if ( strcmp( Root->szText, szToAdd ) > 0 )
return Add2( Root->Left, szToAdd );
else
return Add2( Root->Right, szToAdd );
}
}

Output

Usage: Refptr [1 | 2]

where:
1 uses double indirection
2 uses a reference to a pointer.

Input is from stdin.

See Also
References

© 2017 Microsoft

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