Thread: How to Create reference to an array in C++

Originally posted by shiv_tech_quest
Hi Guys,

I have studied that we cannot create references to arrays in C++. But when i was reading a book by Stroustrup, he has asked in the exersice to create a reference to an array of 10 elements. Can anybody demonstrate the same??

PS: I believe i would have to create individual references to each of the element in the array..... am i right!!!!

Whoever told you that you can't didn't know what they were talking about.

You make a reference to an array like this

Elementtype (&ReferenceName)[NumElDim0][NumElDim1][NumElDim2]; // etc. for as many dimensions as you want

For instance, if you wanted a reference to a 2 dimensional int array of dimension lengths 3 and 5 you'd do this

int Array[3][5]; // This is the actual array

int (&ArrayRef)[3][5] = Array; // Here's our reference

If your instructor told you you can't make a reference to an array but you can make a poitner to an array then he most likely didn't teach you how to make a pointer to an array -- he probably told you how to make a pointer to the first element of an array (which is very different).

A pointer to an array is done the same way as you'd do a reference to an array.

int Array[3][5]; // This is the actual array

int (*ArrayPtr)[3][5] = &Array; // Here's our pointer

Just remember that if you use a pointer to an array (as opposed to a reference) you will have to explicitly dereference it before you use it.