Re: Function arguments: References vs pointers

From:

Joe <jgreer@nsisoftware.com>

Newsgroups:

comp.lang.c++.moderated

Date:

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:10:36 CST

Message-ID:

<1182449074.632350.5350@q75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>

On Jun 16, 5:43 pm, Rune Allnor <all...@tele.ntnu.no> wrote:

{ Some info on this is given in the FAQ section 8. Presuming
  the OP has read the FAQ... -mod }

Hi all.

Consider the two functions

void f(int& i)
{
   i = 1;

}

void g(int* j)
{
   *j = 2;

}

Both are fed an argument which specify an integer in the
calling program, they set the value of that integer to 1
and 2 respectively.

What are the practical differences - if any - between the
two versions of the function call?

Rune

Pulling things back on topic a bit. No one explicitly mentioned this,
but if the function with the reference were also inlined, then the
code generated might manipulate the object directly without ever
having to take the address of the original object and without having
to allocate space for the pointer. Remember that in C++ references
need not have a physical presence at all.

joe

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