C++: Asterisk and Ampersnd Used Together

Question

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Reference to a pointer

I'm going through some code, and see Foo*& bar. How is that to be interpreted? Thanks!

Are you really too lazy to open your book? `bar` is a *reference* to *pointer* to `Foo` type. — Bartek Banachewicz, Jan 16 '13 at 12:49
Please tell what you have tried already so no effort is wasted. — Sebastian Mach, Jan 16 '13 at 12:51
Also see [cdecl](http://cdecl.ridiculousfish.com/?q=int*%26+bar%3B). — , Jan 16 '13 at 13:10
Nothing to do with laziness. Don't have a book. Googling for similar turned up nothing. — Adam_G, Jan 16 '13 at 16:24

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:49

2

bar is a reference to a pointer to Foo.

answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:49

Alexey Frunze

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:49

2

It is a reference to a pointer to Foo. the usual use-case is when you want a function to change a pointer passed to it as an argument:

void foo(Foo*& bar)
{
  bar = something_else;
}

answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:49

juanchopanza

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:51

1

Read right to left:

Foo*& bar

[bar] is a [reference] to a [pointer] to a [Foo]

answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:51

Sebastian Mach

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:51

1

It's usually helpful to read such declarations right-to-left:

Foo*& bar;

answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:51

Anders Johansson

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:50

0

A reference, to a pointer, to a Foo.
Probably used as a function parameter?
Possibly an "out parameter".

answered Jan 16 '13 at 12:50

Grimm The Opiner

5 Answers5