Quote:Original post by Alpha_ProgDes

void function(int **param[])

how the hell do you read that anyway? is it: an array of pointer addresses? and how would you use it?

I'm assuming it's a vector with the last item in the array a null.

Hi,

Pointers are frightening because people fear what they do not know.

Pointers are just an extension of basic Assembly language. In assembly you reference data using a base memory position where your data is stored (the DS segment) and you access a specific point using an offset ([DS]+5 for example). Almost all data access is done this way though memory directions. Pointers are just an extension of that. They are basic elements that help you to talk with the computer in its own language. Denying this, is just limiting yourself.

Even languages that self-proclaims as 'no pointer' languaje as Java (or .Net) use pointers. Why do you think you have to use the 'new' keyword? You are allocating memory for your sctructures and memory allocation requires a pointer to hold the address for that memory. They just mask if so it looks like no pointers are used... but its always the same.

Pointers aren't evil. That affirmation is just like saying a gun is evil. They are just a tool that placed in the right hands can create Doom3 or HalfLife2. Placen in wrong hands they can format your HDD.

Anyway, once you get used to them, they are a tool so useful that its almost impossible to live without them.

Luck!
Guimo

Basically level 1 pointers can be handle without much problems, but when you start using higher level mean more dereferencing, or mixing with OOP and complex data structure then that's when problems can arrive. Mostly what everyone probably experienced is prob dereferencing a bad pointer and pretty much crash your program.

Quote: how the hell do you read that anyway? is it: an array of pointer addresses? and how would you use it?

its an array of pointers to pointers to ints, which is the same thing as ***int (if you know you are using the first pointer to access an array)

just like:

int main(int argc, char **argv){

is the same as

int main(int argc, char *argv[]){

with the slowest varying dimension represented by the []'s and being of size argc. argv is an array of arrays of characters, its just that C doesn't let you do argv[][].