pointers-and-refs.cpp

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main(void){
  int x = 42;
  cout << "int x is " << x << " and it is located at " << &x << endl;

  cout << endl;

  int* p = &x;
  cout << "Let's set int* p equal to the address of x..." << endl;
  cout << "int *p is " << p << " and it is located at " << &p << endl;
  cout << "By dereferencing p, p points to " << *p << endl;

  cout << endl;

  int& r = x;
  cout << "Let's set int& r equal to x..." << endl;
  cout << "int& r is " << r << " and it is located at " << &r << endl;
  cout << "Notice that r (" << &r << ") has the same address as x (" << &x << ")" << endl;
  cout << "This is very strange since x and r are two different things." << endl;

  cout << endl;

  cout << "Let's set p equal to the address of r..." << endl;
  p = &r;
  cout << "int *p is " << p << " and it is located at " << &p << endl;
  cout << "By dereferencing p, p points to " << *p << endl;

  cout << endl;
  int y = 17;
  cout << "int y is " << y << " and it is located at " << &y << endl;

  cout << endl;

  cout << "Can I have p point to y?" << endl;
  p = &y;
  cout << "int *p is " << p << " and it is located at " << &p << endl;
  cout << "By dereferencing p, p points to " << *p << endl;
  cout << "The answer is yes I can!" << endl;

  cout << endl;

  cout << "Can I have r bind to y?" << endl;
  cout << "Let's set int& r equal to y..." << endl;
  r = y;
  cout << "int& r is " << r << " and it is located at " << &r << endl;
  cout << "Notice that r (" << &r << ") has the same address as x (" << &x << ") still!!!!" << endl;
  cout << "This is very strange since x and r are two different things." << endl;
  cout << "What just happened? (You can't rebind a reference.)" << endl;
  cout << "int x was changed to be equal to int y." << endl;
  cout << "int x is " << x << " and it is located at " << &x << endl;
  cout << "int y is " << y << " and it is located at " << &y << endl;

  return 0;
}