Resizable array of references?

Does C++ have some kind of resizeable array that can contain references? I need to store references and be able to iterate through them as fast as possible. It may have any number of objects stored in it, and the number of objects stored will change. Is a vector appropriate for this, or should I use something else?

You can use a vector.

Example:

Code:

---

#include <vector>

using namespace std;

vector <int&> vectorOfIntReferences; //you now have a vector of int references

---

Replace "int" with whatever datatype you're making references to.

How do I declare that as a member of a class and initialize it with 0 length?:

Code:

---

class Entity {
public:
std::vector<Entity&> kids;
};

---

You don't have to initialize it to any size, since its a resizable array.
All you do is, if you want the vector as a member of a class, then you would want to add a public function which can push_back() elements to the vector, which can be a private member instead of public.

Something that looks like this:

Code:

---

class Entity {
  public:
    void addElementsToVector(Entity &ref);
  private:
    std::vector<Entity&> kids;
};

void Entity::addElementsToVector(std::vector<Entity&> &ref) {

  kids.push_back(ref); //add the reference to the vector

}

int main() {

  Entity object; //create object of class
  Entity object2; //create another object of class
  object.addElementsToVector(object); //add a reference to 'object' to your vector
  object.addElementsToVector(object2); //add a reference to 'object2' to your vector

  return 0;

}

---

Adding this in the class declaration:

Code:

---

std::vector<Entity&> kids;

---

Causes this error:

Quote:

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1>c:\program files\microsoft visual studio 9.0\vc\include\xmemory(95) : error C2528: 'pointer' : pointer to reference is illegal

---

Not sure if you can use a vector.

References have to be initialized and cannot be assigned.

May have to use a vector of pointers.

Ok, my bad. Guess its not legal then.
I'm still in the process of learning the language myself, actually.

Here's a link on where you might want to read up on it:

vector of references

It explains why they're not allowed.