Thread: Why are pointers so important?

  1. #1
    Registered User
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    Why are pointers so important?

    see topic

  2. #2
    Evil Member
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    Well, pointers have a number of useful applications.

    Firstly, a number of things you do all the time use pointers, even if you are not aware. A struct is a pointer. An array is a pointer. A string is a pointer. A class is a pointer. There is no way of representing a number of associated objects without using pointers in some form or another.

    Also, pointers are useful for efficiency. If you pass ten thousand ints to a function, you will have a substantial time penalty, unless you pass a pointer to an array of ten thousand ints.

  3. #3
    Seņor Member
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    Look into linked lists. Yeah pointers do look pointless at first, but they do have uses.

  4. #4
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    or probaly most important is its the only way to use the "freestore". This will solve your problem of needing a variable in 2 functions but don't want to make it global.
    "Christ died for our sins. Dare we make his martyrdom meaningless by not committing them?"

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