Hi. Currently I'm trying to get a little into .Net programming in managed C++. I'm using Visual C++ 2005 EE and the .Net Framework 2. Now, I'm somehow confused by the ^ operator. I found out that this one is similiar to the * (pointer) operator in native C++ with the difference of creating an object on the managed heap that uses a garbage collector. Well... that sounds great, but: 1) Some objects have to be declared with the ^ operator. For example: System::String^ sTest; Why that? Does System::String^ sTest2 = sTest; copy the string or just the pointer to the object on the heap??? 2) If System::Boolean^ bTest represents a reference to an object on the heap, why is something like this working: System::Boolean^ bTest; bTest = true; AND What is the difference between the following: a) System::Boolean bTest; b) System::Boolean^ bTest; c) System::Boolean^ bTest = gcnew System::Boolean 3) Classes seem to behave differently, too. If you create a managed class like ref class oAnObject { }; You can call certain member functions, which do not refer to a member variable (aparrently because this is a null reference or null pointer or whatever - see, I'm confused ;-)) without creating an instance in memory meaning: oAnObject::SomeFunction(void); Does work! 4) At last, I have a question about WinForms and the Data binding capability. This one is great, too, but: I can bind propertys of classes, without creating an instance of them and without having them declared as static. Well... okay, now I want to create an instance of the very same class (say for saving a textbox's content history or whatever) and copy the contents of the data bindings... how? Well, you see, I need a little help here. And sorry for my "newbish" questions. Thanks, ZMaster

Unsure about the first two questions as I am from a c# background and have never come across this.

Question 3, Do you mean static methods?

Question 4, Are you wanting to copy the data in one class to another or the contents of the databound control to another class?

Quote:Original post by Rattrap
MSDN - ^ (Handle to Object on Managed Heap)

It seems to be a specialized pointer for managed c++. It seems to be for pointing to objects on the managed heap. It looks like it is meant for having a little more control than the standard c++ pointer.

Thank you for the link, but I already knew that article.
Questions #3 and #4 are clear now, I also found out that .NET 2 supports lists in datasource objects bound to controls, which makes #4 obsolete because I can use these lists, now.

However, questions #1 and #2 still remain. Because, when the managed reference is just a tracked pointer to data on the managed heap, I still wonder why I can do this:
System::Boolean^ bTest = true;
If bTest is just a pointer to the heap I would change the address instead of the value of bTest.

Why do I HAVE to declare System::String^ sTest = "Test"; as an object on the managed heap? (The declaration without the ^ wouldn't work, while it works for most other types).

I'm not an expert in this, but I think the reason you can't create a string object on the native heap is related to the way strings in .net work. They have a table that contains all the constant strings in the program (possibly also strings that arn't constant at compile time). Anyway, the table is possibly on the managed heap, there for you can't have a non managed pointer pointing to it.
Remember that the .net strings are immutable objects? Every change to them sets them to point somewhere else, the new object will be created on the managed heap, and therefor you must have a managed pointer pointing to it.
Thats my guess anyway, no gaurantees

Quote:Original post by IMG25
Remember that the .net strings are immutable objects? Every change to them sets them to point somewhere else, the new object will be created on the managed heap, and therefor you must have a managed pointer pointing to it.
Thats my guess anyway, no gaurantees

Thanks. That sounds plausible.

@Erzengeldeslichtes:
Thanks! Your description makes things much clearer!