InvisibleCopies.cpp

struct FWidget 
{
    FWidget() : Name() {}
    FWidget(FString Name) : Name(Name) {}
    FWidget(const FWidget& Other) : Name(Other.Name) {}
        
    void ProcessIntensity(float Intensity) const { /** **/ }
    
    FString Name;
}

//we want pass by reference of an existing list not a new copy of the list being passed in so we take an address location for WidgetsToProcess
//the list now contains pointers instead
void ProcessWidgets(const TArray<FWidget>& WidgetsToProcess, float Intensity)
{
    //change the auto to FWidget*, we want to avoid a copy being generated in the for loop as a copy can happen during this iterated process
    for(const FWidget& Widget : WidgetsToProcess)
    {
        //widget is now a pointer to . becomes ->
        Widget.ProcessIntensity(Intensity);
    }
}

//to avoid a copy, we return an address of the newly created widgets array
//the array also needs to be an array of pointers so we're iterating through, we prevent copies.
void CollectWidgets(TArray<FWidget>& Widgets)
{
    // collect
}

// returns found index. -1 if index not found
//we want pass by reference of an existing list not a new copy of the list being passed in so we take an address location for WidgetsToProcess
//the list now contains pointers instead
int FindWidget(const TArray<FWidget>& WidgetsToSearch, FString Name)
{
    for (int i = 0; i < WidgetsToSearch.size(); ++i)
    {
        if (WidgetsToSearch[i].Name == Name)
        {
            return i;
        }
    }
    
    return -1;
}

void Main()
{
    //widgets should contain a list of pointers, pointers we can rely on later on.
    const TArray<FWidget> Widgets;
    CollectWidgets(Widgets);
    
    ProcessWidgets(Widgets, 99.9f);
    
    int foundWidgetIndex = FindWidget(Widgets, "Find me");

    if (foundWidgetIndex != -1)
    {
        const FWidget& Found = Widgets[foundWidgetIndex];
    }
    else 
    {
        std::cout << "Widget not found!" << std::endl;
    }    
}