What is the reference ( & ) operator for?
What does it mean to use the keyword "operator" like so
I've also read that vectors, are just bigger arrays, in the form of a container?Code:MyPointer* operator=( &MyPointer );
If I have more questions, I'll update the thread.
Last edited by bobbelPoP; 06-29-2008 at 07:52 PM.
& is an address-of operator. By default it returns the address of an object (it has nothing to do with references in that usage).
For operators like +, =, ++, <<, etc, you can overload their meaning when applied to non built-in types. There is an error in your example because the & should go after the class name instead of before it to indicate that it is a reference.
A vector is not a bigger array. A vector is a dynamic array. It can grow as you add items and it cleans up after itself. This makes it a better choice than regular dynamic arrays in C++ (arrays created with new[] and destroyed with delete[]).
whats the difference between a map and a vector then?
A map is an associative container that maps keys to values. A vector is a sequential container that stores objects contiguously.whats the difference between a map and a vector then?
Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart WayOriginally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
There are many differences, too many to list. First, they are implemented quite differently.
From a semantic point of view the vector is sort of like a specific kind of map. It maps consecutive integral indexes from 0 - n to the value stored in the vector. A map can have any type as the key (as long as it has certain traits), it doesn't have to be an integer, it doesn't have to be consecutive, etc.
