hk_mp5kpdw's method is best.
errrr... can't quite understand this comment. if you look at the thread, all posts suggested using references. hk_mp5pdw just said there was also an option to use pointers and i explained to Zero_X that using the pointers is different from using a regular variable. But none of the posts were in the sense of stating pointers were better i believe. When i posted the code i used references...

Cheers