#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main(){
/*
int n = 5;
cout << n << endl;
output: 5
*/
// is for a comment line and /**/ is for multiple line comments
//I make it like this so you can paste it immediately into a compiler
//variable - &address - *pointers.
//START
//just like variable, a pointer is a container as well, storing an address (a memory location)
//n is a variable meaning that it is a container storing certain value
//because it's a container, it has it's address inside the memory, a physical location
//in order to check the location / which address :
/*
int n = 5;
cout << &n << endl;
output: 006FFD64
*/
//because it's not always fun to remember long address numbers, so we give them names - variables. we create a pointer to name an address and easily access it.
//POINTERS
//how to create a pointer holding address of our n variable:
int n = 5;
cout << &n << endl;int* ptr = &n;
cout << ptr <<endl;
//in order to indicate that you're creating a pointer, use * star (int*)
//then give it a random name (ptr)
//assign it (to ptr) the address of our n variable which is = &n (= assign)(& address)(n variable)
cout << *ptr << endl;
// a star * before the pointer's name will only reference the pointer and then find the VALUE of the ADDRESS
//which is our original variable n
//basically we're asking for the value 5, not the address 006FFD64
//CHANGE THE VALUE (5) stored in the pointer ptr address:
*ptr = 10 ;
//a star * means access the memory location and (=)assign a NEW (10) value
//let's check if it's now 10 instead of 5
cout << *ptr <<endl;
cout << n ;
//both *ptr and n now show 10
//NOTES
//pointer has to be of the SAME TYPE as the variable it is pointing to
//int pointer to int variable, not int to float
//char pointer to char variable, bool pointer to a bool variable, etc
//you can't assign a value to a pointer, it has to point to an address
//first create a (example) variable to store that variable's & address to the pointer
//pointers are problem solvers and not the casual way it's used in these examples
system("pause>0");
return 0;
}
