Jason Dusek wrote: > Hi Kids, > > What is a pointer and what is a reference?
A pointer is a variable which holds a memory address. That is all it holds, except possibly a classification by type, which can be morphed. Pointers are a C/C++ topic, really. We use the term casually someimes when speaking of references, though. > How are they different? You really have three things here: The C/C++ pointer, the C++ reference, and the Perl reference. > If > I read a book on C++ pointers and references, will it say the exact > same things as a book on Perl references? Absolutely not. References do a lot in both languages, but it is not a good idea to try to commensurate C++ references to Perl references. Perl is its own animal, and has its own way of doing things. The general concept of using references to access data strucures is common between most modern languages. The implementations vary widely. If you want the scoop on Perl references, look to the perl documentation: perldoc perlref perldoc perlreftut to start with. These will lead you on to other subjects, since references underly almost everything Perl does. Learn about each of these three topics as a distinct subject. Each is a worthwhile study in its own right. > - Jason Joseph -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
