C++ Programming Code Examples

C++ > Pointers Code Examples

Pointer Simple with Reference operator (&) and Dereference operator (*)



Pointer Simple with Reference operator (&) and Dereference operator (*)

The pointer is a programming language data type whose value refers directly to (or "points to") another value stored elsewhere in the computer memory using its address.

Reference operator ("&")

The reference operator noted by ampersand ("&"), is also a unary operator in c languages that uses for assign address of the variables. It returns the pointer address of the variable. This is called "referencing" operater. 

Dereference operator ("*")

The dereference operator or indirection operator, noted by asterisk ("*"), is also a unary operator in c languages that uses for pointer variables. It operates on a pointer variable, and returns l-value equivalent to the value at the pointer address. This is called "dereferencing" the pointer. 

// Header Files
#include <iostream>
#include<conio.h>

using namespace std;

int main() {

   //Pointer Variable Declaration for Integer Data Type 
   int* pt;
   int var;

   cout << "C++ Pointer Example for Reference operator (&) and Dereference operator (*)\n";

   var = 1;

   cout << "Address of var 			:" << &var << "\n";
   cout << "Value   of var 			:" << var << "\n\n";

   //& takes the address of var , Here now pt == &var, so *pt == var
   pt = &var;

   cout << "Address of Pointer pt 	:" << pt << "\n";
   cout << "Content of Pointer pt 	:" << *pt << "\n\n";

   var = 2;

   cout << "Address of Pointer pt 	:" << pt << "\n";
   cout << "Content of Pointer pt 	:" << *pt << "\n\n";

   //Assign Values using dereference operator
   *pt = 3;

   cout << "Address of var			:" << &var << "\n";
   cout << "Value   of var			:" << var << "\n\n";

   getch();
   return 0;

}