Thread: call by reference and a call by value

see for yourself.... compile and run this:-

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
void byvalue (int x)
{
x+=5; // x=x+5
printf("Value of x in byvalue is %d\n",x);
}

void byref(int*x)
{
(*x)+=5;
printf("Value of x in byref is %d\n",(*x));
}

int main()
{
int x=5;
int* y=&x;

byvalue(x);
printf("x in main is %d\n",x);
byref(y);
printf("x in main is %d\n",x);
system("PAUSE");
return 0;
}

When you pass by value, a copy of the object is created in the called function and placed on that functions memory stack, whereas references use an address to the original value in the caller, this requires a pointer to be created but not a whole copy of the object.