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<title>Pointers</title>
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<h4 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers</h4>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers are variables that provide access to other variables. The value of a
pointer is the address of the variable that it provides access to.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers can point at any type of variable, object, and even other pointers. In
this chapter, I will refer to all of these simply as<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">variables</i>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers are low level features of microprocessors. They are an important part
of system programming.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The syntax and semantics of pointers in D are inherited directly from C.
Although pointers are notoriously the most difficult feature of C to comprehend,
they should not be as difficult in D. This is because other features of D that
are semantically close to pointers are more useful in situations where pointers
would have to be used in other languages. When the ideas behind pointers are
already understood from those other features of D, pointers should be easier to
grasp.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The short examples throughout the most of this chapter are decidedly simple. The
programs at the end of the chapter will be more realistic.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The names like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(short
for "pointer") that I have used in these examples should not be considered as
useful names in general. As always, names must be chosen to be more meaningful
and explanatory in actual programs.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The concept of a reference</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Although we have encountered references many times in the previous chapters,
let's summarize this concept one more time.</p>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>variables
in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>loops</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
As we have seen in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/foreach.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: purple; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: purple; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Loop
chapter</a>, normally the loop variables are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">copies</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of
elements:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[] numbers = [ 1, 11, 111 ];
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</span> (number; numbers) {
number = 0; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← the copy changes, not the element
</span> }
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"After the loop: "</span>, numbers);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">number</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that
gets assigned 0 each time is a copy of one of the elements of the array.
Modifying that copy does not modify the element:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">After the loop: [1, 11, 111]
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When the actual elements need to be modified, the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>variable
must be defined as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</code>:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</span> (<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</span></span> number; numbers) {
number = 0; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← the actual element changes
</span> }
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
This time<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">number</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
a reference to an actual element in the array:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">After the loop: [0, 0, 0]
</pre>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
ref</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>function parameters</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
As we have seen in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/function_parameters.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: purple; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
Function Parameters chapter</a>, the parameters of<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">value
types</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are normally copies of the
arguments:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> addHalf(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> value)
{
value += 0.5; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← Does not affect 'value' in main
</span>}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> value = 1.5;
addHalf(value);
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The value after calling the function: "</span>, value);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Because the function parameter is not defined as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</code>,
the assignment inside the function affects only the local variable there. The
variable in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">main</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
not affected:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The value after calling the function: 1.5
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>keyword
would make the function parameter a reference to the argument:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> addHalf(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</span></span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> value)
{
value += 0.5;
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
This time the variable in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">main</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>gets
modified:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The value after calling the function: 2
</pre>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Reference types</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Some types are reference types. Variables of such types provide access to
separate variables:</p>
<ul style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Class variables</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Slices</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Associative arrays</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
We have seen this distinction in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/value_vs_reference.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: purple; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
Value Types and Reference Types chapter</a>. The following example demonstrates
reference types by two<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">class</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>variables:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">class</span> Pen
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> ink;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">this</span>()
{
ink = 15;
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> use(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> amount)
{
ink -= amount;
}
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> pen = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Pen;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> otherPen = pen; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← Now both variables provide
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// access to the same object
</span>
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Before: %s %s"</span>, pen.ink, otherPen.ink);
pen.use(1); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← the same object is used
</span> otherPen.use(2); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← the same object is used
</span>
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"After : %s %s"</span>, pen.ink, otherPen.ink);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Because classes are reference types, the class variables<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pen</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">otherPen</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>provide
access to the same<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Pen</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>object.
As a result, using either of those class variables affects the same object:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Before: 15 15
After : 12 12
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
That single object and the two class variables would be laid out in memory
similar to the following figure:</p>
<pre class="mono_big" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> (The Pen object) pen otherPen
---+-------------------+--- ---+---+--- ---+---+---
| ink | | o | | o |
---+-------------------+--- ---+-|-+--- ---+-|-+---
▲ | |
| | |
+--------------------+------------+
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
References<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">point
at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>actual variables as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pen</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">otherPen</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>do
above.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Programming languages implement the reference and pointer concepts by special
registers of the microprocessor, which are specifically for<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pointing
at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>memory locations.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Behind the scenes, D's higher-level concepts class variables, slices, and
associative arrays are all implemented by pointers. As these higher-level
features are already efficient and convenient, pointers are rarely needed in D
programming. Still, it is important for D programmers to understand pointers
well.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Syntax</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The pointer syntax of D is mostly the same as in C. Although this can be seen as
an advantage, the peculiarities of C's pointer syntax are necessarily inherited
by D as well. For example, the different meanings of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>character
may be confusing.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
With the exception of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pointers,
every pointer is associated with a certain type and can point at only variables
of that specific type. For example, an<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pointer
can only point at variables of type<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The pointer definition syntax consists of the associated type and a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code>character:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">type_to_point_at</span></i> * <i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">name_of_the_pointer_variable</i>;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Accordingly, a pointer variable that would be pointing at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code>variables
would be defined like this:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * myPointer;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>character
in that syntax may be pronounced as "pointer". So, the type of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myPointer</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>above
is an "int pointer". The spaces before and after the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>character
are optional. The following syntaxes are common as well:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>* myPointer;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> *myPointer;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When it is specifically a pointer type that is being mentioned as in "int
pointer", it is common to write the type without any spaces as in<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int*</code>.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointer value and the address-of operator <code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&</code></h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Being variables themselves pointers have values as well. The default value of a
pointer is the special value<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code>,
which means that the pointer is not<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pointing
at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>any variable yet (i.e. does
not provide access to any variable).</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
To make a pointer provide access to a variable, the value of the pointer must be
set to the address of that variable. The pointer starts pointing at the variable
that is at that specific address. From now on, I will call that variable<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
pointee</i>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
which we have used many times before with<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">readf</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>has
also been briefly mentioned in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/value_vs_reference.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: purple; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
Value Types and Reference Types chapter</a>. This operator produces the address
of the variable that is written after it. Its value can be used when
initializing a pointer:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> myVariable = 180;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * myPointer = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&</span>myVariable;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Initializing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myPointer</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>by
the address of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>makes<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myPointer</code>point
at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The value of the pointer is the same as the address of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code>:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The address of myVariable: "</span>, &myVariable);
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The value of myPointer : "</span>, myPointer);
</pre>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The address of myVariable: 7FFF2CE73F10
The value of myPointer : 7FFF2CE73F10
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Note:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The address value is likely
to be different every time the program is started.</i></p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The following figure is a representation of these two variables in memory:</p>
<pre class="mono_big" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> myVariable at myPointer at
address 7FFF2CE73F10 some other address
---+----------------+--- ---+----------------+---
| 180 | | 7FFF2CE73F10 |
---+----------------+--- ---+--------|-------+---
▲ |
| |
+---------------------------+
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The value of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myPointer</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
the address of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code>,
conceptually<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pointing
at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the variable that is at that
location.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Since pointers are variables as well, the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
can produce the address of the pointer as well:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The address of myPointer : "</span>, &myPointer);
</pre>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The address of myPointer : 7FFF2CE73F18
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Since the difference between the two addresses above is 8, remembering that an<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>takes
up 4 bytes, we can deduce that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myPointer</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are
4 bytes apart in memory.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
After removing the arrow that represented the concept of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pointing
at</i>, we can picture the contents of memory around these addresses like this:</p>
<pre class="mono_big" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> 7FFF2CE73F10 7FFF2CE73F14 7FFF2CE73F18
: : : :
---+----------------+----------------+----------------+---
| 180 | (unused) | 7FFF2CE73F10 |
---+----------------+----------------+----------------+---
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The names of variables, functions, classes, etc. and keywords are not parts of
programs of compiled languages like D. The variables that have been defined by
the programmer in the source code are converted to bytes that occupy memory or
registers of the microprocessor.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Note:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The names (a.k.a. symbols)
may actually be included in programs to help with debugging but those names do
not affect the operation of the program.</i></p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The access operator <code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code></h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
We have seen above that the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>character
which normally represents multiplication is also used when defining pointers. A
difficulty with the syntax of pointers is that the same character has a third
meaning: It is also used when accessing the pointee through the pointer.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When it is written before the name of a pointer, it means<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
variable that the pointer is pointing at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(i.e.
the pointee):</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The value that it is pointing at: "</span>, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</span>myPointer);
</pre>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The value that it is pointing at: 180
</pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(dot)
operator to access a member of the pointee</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
If you know pointers from C, this operator is the same as the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">-></code>operator
in that language.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
We have seen above that the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
is used for accessing the pointee. That is sufficiently useful for pointers of
fundamental types like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int*</code>:
The value of a fundamental type is accessed simply by writing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*myPointer</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
However, when the pointee is a struct or a class object, the same syntax becomes
inconvenient. To see why, let's consider the following struct:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> Coordinate
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> x;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> y;
string toString() <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">const</span>
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">return</span> format(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"(%s,%s)"</span>, x, y);
}
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Here is a code that defines an object and a pointer of that type:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> center = Coordinate(0, 0);
Coordinate * ptr = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&</span>center; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// pointer definition
</span> writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</span>ptr); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// object access
</span></pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
That syntax is convenient when accessing the value of the entire<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Coordinate</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>object:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(0,0)
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
However, the code becomes complicated when accessing a member of an object
through a pointer and the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// Adjust the x coordinate
</span> (*ptr).x += 10;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
That expression modifies the value of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">x</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>member
of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">center</code>object.
The left-hand side of that expression can be explained by the following steps:</p>
<ul style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
ptr</code>: The pointer that points at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">center</code></li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
*</span>ptr</code>: Accessing the object (i.e.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">center</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>itself)</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
(</span>*ptr<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">)</span></code>:
Parentheses so that the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(dot)
operator is applied to the object, not to the pointer</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
(*ptr)<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.x</span></code>:
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">x</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>member
of the object that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
pointing at</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
To reduce the complexity of pointer syntax in D, the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(dot)
operator is tranferred to the pointee and provides access to the member of the
object. (The exceptions to this rule are at the end of this section.)</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
So, the previous expression is normally written as:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ptr.x</span> += 10;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Since the pointer itself does not have a member named<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">x</code>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.x</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
applied to the pointee and the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">x</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>member
of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">center</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>gets
modified:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(10,0)
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Note that this is the same as the use of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(dot)
operator with classes. When the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(dot)
operator is applied to a class<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">variable</i>,
it provides access to a member of the class<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">object</i>:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">class</span> ClassType
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> member;
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ...
</span>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// Variable on the left, object on the right
</span> ClassType variable = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> ClassType;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// Applied to the variable but accesses the member of
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// the object
</span> variable.member = 42;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
As you remember from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/class.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: purple; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
Classes chapter</a>, the class object is constructed by the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>keyword
on the right-hand side.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">variable</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
a class variable that provides access to it.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Realizing that it is the same with pointers is an indication that class
variables and pointers are implemented similarly by the compiler.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
There is an exception to this rule both for class variables and for pointers.
Type properties like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.sizeof</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are
applied to the type of the pointer, not to the type of the pointee:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">char</span> c;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">char</span> * p;
writeln(p.sizeof); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// size of the pointer, not the pointee
</span></pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
.sizeof</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>produces the size of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">p</code>,
which is a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">char*</code>,
not the size of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">c</code>,
which is a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">char</code>.
On a 64-bit system pointers are 8-byte long:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">8
</pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Modifying the value of a pointer</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The values of pointers can be incremented or decremented, and they can be used
in addition and subtraction:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> ++ptr;
--ptr;
ptr += 2;
ptr -= 2;
writeln(ptr + 3);
writeln(ptr - 3);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Different from their arithmetic counterparts, these operations do not modify the
actual value by the specified amount. Rather, the value of the pointer gets
modified so that it now points at the variable that is a certain number of
variables beyond the current one. The amount of the increment or the decrement
specifies how many variables away should the pointer now point at.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For example, incrementing the value of a pointer makes it point at the next
variable:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> ++ptr; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// Starts pointing at a variable that is next in
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// memory from the old variable
</span></pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For that to work correctly, the actual value of the pointer must be incremented
by the size of the variable. For example, because the size of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
4, incrementing a pointer of type<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>changes
its value by 4. The programmer need not pay attention to this detail; the
pointer value is modified by the correct amount automatically.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Warning</b>: It is undefined behavior to point at a location that is not a valid
byte that belongs the program. Even if it is not actually used to access any
variable there, it is invalid for a pointer to point at a nonexistent variable.
(The only exception of this rule is that it is valid to point at the imaginary
element one past the end of an array. This will be explained later below.)</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For example, it would be invalid to increment a pointer that points at<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code>,
because<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
defined as a single<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code>:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> ++myPointer; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">undefined behavior</span>
</span></pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Undefined behavior means that it cannot be known what the behavior of the
program will be after that operation. There may be systems where the program
crashes after incrementing that pointer. However, on most modern systems the
pointer is likely to point at the unused memory location that has been shown as
being between<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myVariable</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">myPointer</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in
the previous figure.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For that reason, the value of a pointer must be incremented or decremented only
if there is a valid object at the new location. Arrays (and slices) have that
property: The elements of an array are side by side in memory.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
A pointer that is pointing at an element of a slice can be incremented safely as
long as it does not go beyond the end of the slice. Incrementing such a pointer
by the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">++</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
makes it point at the next element:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.string;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.conv;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">enum</span> Color { red, yellow, blue }
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> Crayon
{
Color color;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> length;
string toString() <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">const</span>
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">return</span> format(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"%scm %s crayon"</span>, length, color);
}
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Crayon objects are %s bytes each."</span>, Crayon.sizeof);
Crayon[] crayons = [ Crayon(Color.red, 11),
Crayon(Color.yellow, 12),
Crayon(Color.blue, 13) ];
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Crayon * ptr</span> = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&</span>crayons[0]; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (1)
</span>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">for</span> (<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> i = 0; i != crayons.length; ++i) {
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Pointer value: "</span>, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ptr</span>); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (2)
</span>
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Crayon: "</span>, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*ptr</span>); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (3)
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">++ptr</span>; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (4)
</span> }
}
</pre>
<ol style="margin: 1em 1em 0.75em 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Definition: The pointer is initialized by the address of the first element.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Using its value: The value of the pointer is the address of the element that
it is pointing at.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Accessing the element that is being pointed at.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointing at the next element.</li>
</ol>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The output:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Crayon objects are 16 bytes each.
Pointer value: 7F37AC9E6FC0
Crayon: 11cm red crayon
Pointer value: 7F37AC9E6FD0
Crayon: 12cm yellow crayon
Pointer value: 7F37AC9E6FE0
Crayon: 13cm blue crayon
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Note that the loop above is iterated a total of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">crayons.length</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>times
so that the pointer is always used for accessing a valid element.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers are risky</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The compiler and the D runtime environment cannot guarantee that the pointers
are always used correctly. It is the programmer's responsibility to ensure that
a pointer is either<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or
points at a valid memory location (at a variable, at an element of an array,
etc.).</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For that reason, it is always better to consider higher-level features of D
before thinking about using pointers.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The element one past the end of an array</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
It is valid to point at the imaginary element one past the end of an array.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
This is a useful idiom that is similar to number ranges. When defining a slice
with a number range, the second range is one past the elements of the slice:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[] values = [ 0, 1, 2, 3 ];
writeln(values[1 .. 3]); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// 1 and 2 included, 3 excluded
</span></pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
This idiom can be used with pointers as well. It is a common function design in
C and C++ where a function parameter points at the first element and another one
points at the element after the last element:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> tenTimes(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * begin, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * end)
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">while</span> (begin != end) {
*begin *= 10;
++begin;
}
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[] values = [ 0, 1, 2, 3 ];
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// The address of the second element:
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * begin = &values[1];
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// The address of two elements beyond that one
</span> tenTimes(begin, begin + 2);
writeln(values);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The value<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">begin
+ 2</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>means two elements after
the one that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">begin</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
pointing at (i.e. the element at index 3).</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">tenTimes()</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>function
takes two pointer parameters. It uses the element that the first one is pointing
at but it never accesses the element that the second one is pointing at. As a
result, only the elements at indexes 1 and 2 get modified:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[0, 10, 20, 3]
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Such functions can be implemented by a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">for</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>loop
as well:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">for</span> ( ; begin != end; ++begin) {
*begin *= 10;
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Two pointers that define a range can also be used with<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>loops:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</span> (ptr; begin .. end) {
*ptr *= 10;
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For these methods to be applicable to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">all
of the elements</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of a slice, the
second pointer must necessarily point after the last element:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// The second pointer is pointing at the imaginary element
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// past the end of the array:
</span> tenTimes(begin, begin + values.length);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
That is the reason why it is legal to point at the imaginary element one beyond
the last element of an array.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Using pointers with the array indexing operator<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[]</code></h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Although it is not absolutely necessary in D, pointers can directly be used for
accessing elements of an array by an index value:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span>[] floats = [ 0.0, 1.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.4 ];
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> * ptr = &floats[2];
*ptr = -100; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// direct access to what it points at
</span> ptr<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[1]</span> = -200; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// access by indexing
</span>
writeln(floats);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The output:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[0, 1.1, -100, -200, 4.4]
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
In that syntax, the element that the pointer is pointing at is thought of being
the first element of an imaginary slice. The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[]</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
provides access to the specified element of that slice. The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>above
initially points at the element at index 2 of the original<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">floats</code>slice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ptr[1]</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
a reference to the element 1 of the imaginary slice that starts at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(i.e.
index 3 of the original slice).</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Although this behavior may seem complicated, there is a very simple conversion
behind that syntax. Behind the scenes, the compiler converts the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pointer[index]</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>syntax
to the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*(pointer + index)</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>expression:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> ptr[1] = -200; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// slice syntax
</span> *(ptr + 1) = -200; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// the equivalent of the previous line
</span></pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
As I have mentioned earlier, the compiler may not guarantee that this expression
refers to a valid element. D's slices provide a much safer alternative and
should be considered instead:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span>[] slice = floats[2 .. 4];
slice[0] = -100;
slice[1] = -200;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Normally, index values are checked for slices at run time:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> slice[2] = -300; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// Runtime error: accessing outside of the slice
</span></pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Because the slice above does not have an element at index 2, an exception would
be thrown at run time (unless the program has been compiled with the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">-release</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>compiler
switch):</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">core.exception.RangeError@deneme(8391): Range violation
</pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Producing a slice from a pointer</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers are not as safe or as useful as slices because although they can be
used with the slice indexing operator, they are not aware of the valid range of
elements.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
However, when the number of valid elements is known, a pointer can be used to
construct a slice.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Let's assume that the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">makeObjects()</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>function
below is inside a C library. Let's assume that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">makeObjects</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>makes
specified number of<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Struct</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>objects
and returns a pointer to the first one of those objects:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> Struct * ptr = makeObjects(10);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The syntax that produces a slice from a pointer is the following:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">/* ... */</span> slice = pointer[0 .. count];
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Accordingly, a slice to the 10 objects that are returned by<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">makeObjects()</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>can
be constructed by the following code:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> Struct[] slice = ptr[0 .. 10];
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
After that definition,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">slice</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
ready to be used safely in the program just like any other slice:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> writeln(slice[1]); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// prints the second element
</span></pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
void*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>can point at any type</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Although it is almost never needed in D, C's special pointer type<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
available in D as well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>can
point at any type:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> number = 42;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> otherNumber = 1.25;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> * canPointAtAnything;
canPointAtAnything = &number;
canPointAtAnything = &otherNumber;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>above
is able point at variables of two different types:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
void*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pointers are very
limited in functionality: They cannot be incremented or decremented nor they can
provide access to the pointee. This is a consequence of their flexibility. When
the actual type is unknown, its size cannot be known either:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> *canPointAtAnything = 43; <span class="d_comment" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ← <span class="d_hata" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 64, 64); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">compilation ERROR</span></span>
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Instead, its value must first be converted to a pointer of the correct type:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> number = 42; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (1)
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> * canPointAtAnything = &number; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (2)
</span>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ...
</span>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * intPointer = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cast</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>*)canPointAtAnything; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (3)
</span> *intPointer = 43; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (4)
</span></pre>
<ol style="margin: 1em 1em 0.75em 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The actual variable</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Storing the address of the variable in a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void*</code></li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Assigning that address to a pointer of the correct type</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Modifying the variable through the new pointer</li>
</ol>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
void*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is sometimes needed when
interacting with libraries that are written in C. Since C does not have higher
level features like interfaces, classes, templates, etc. C libraries must rely
on the<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>type.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Using pointers in logical expressions</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers can automatically be converted to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">bool</code>.
Pointers that have the value<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>produce<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">false</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and
the others produce<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">true</code>.
In other words, pointers that do not point at any variable are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">false</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Let's consider a function that prints objects to the standard output. Let's
design this function so that it also provides the number of bytes that it has
just output. However, let's have it produce this information only when
specifically requested.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
It is possible to make this behavior optional by checking whether the value of a
pointer is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or
not:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> print(Crayon crayon, size_t * numberOfBytes)
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">immutable</span> info = format(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Crayon: %s"</span>, crayon);
writeln(info);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">if</span> (numberOfBytes)</span> {
*numberOfBytes = info.length;
}
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When the caller does not need this special information, they can pass<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>as
the argument:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> print(Crayon(Color.yellow, 7), <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</span></span>);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When the number of bytes is indeed important, then a non-<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pointer
value must be passed:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> size_t numberOfBytes;
print(Crayon(Color.blue, 8), <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&numberOfBytes</span>);
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"%s bytes written to the output"</span>, numberOfBytes);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Note that this is just an example. Otherwise, it would be better for a function
like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">print()</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to
return the number of bytes unconditionally:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">size_t print(Crayon crayon)
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">immutable</span> info = format(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Crayon: %s"</span>, crayon);
writeln(info);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">return</span> info.length;
}
</pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
new</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>returns a pointer for some
types</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
new</code>, which we have been using only for constructing class objects can be
used with other types as well: structs, arrays, and fundamental types. The
variables that are constructed by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are
called dynamic variables.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
new</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>first allocates space from
memory for the variable and then constructs the variable in that space. The
variable itself does not have a symbolic name in the program; it is to be
accessed through the reference that is returned by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The reference that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>returns
is a different kind depending on the type of the variable:</p>
<ul style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For class objects, it is a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">class
variable</i>:<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> Class classVariable = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Class;
</pre>
</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For struct objects and variables of fundamental types, it is a<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pointer</i>:<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> Struct <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</span> structPointer = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Struct;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</span> intPointer = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>;
</pre>
</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For arrays, it is a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">slice</i>:<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[] slice = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[100];
</pre>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
This distinction is usually not obvious when the type is not spelled-out on the
left-hand side:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> classVariable = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Class;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> structPointer = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Struct;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> intPointer = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> slice = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[100];
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The following program prints the return type of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for
different kinds of variables:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> Struct
{}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">class</span> Class
{}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">typeof</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> ).stringof);
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">typeof</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[5]).stringof);
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">typeof</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Struct).stringof);
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">typeof</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Class ).stringof);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
new</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>returns pointers for
structs and fundamental types:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int*
int[]
Struct*
Class
</pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>property
of arrays</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>property
of arrays and slices is the address of the first element. The type of this value
is a pointer to the type of the elements:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[] numbers = [ 7, 12 ];
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * addressOfFirstElement = numbers<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.ptr</span>;
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"First element: "</span>, *addressOfFirstElement);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
This property is useful especially when interacting with C libraries. Some C
functions take the address of the first of a number of consecutive elements in
memory.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Remembering that strings are also arrays, the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>property
can be used with strings as well. However, note that the first element of a
string need not be the first<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">letter</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of
the string; rather, the first Unicode code unit of that letter. As an example,
the letter é is stored as two code units in a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">char</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>string.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When accessed through the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>property,
the code units of strings can be accessed individually. We will see this in the
examples section below.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
of associative arrays</h5>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Actually, we have used pointers earlier in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://ddili.org/ders/d.en/aa.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: purple; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
Associative Arrays chapter</a>. In that chapter, I had intentionally not
mentioned the exact type of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
and had used it only in logical expressions:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">if</span> (<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"purple"</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</span> colorCodes) {
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// there is an element for key "purple"
</span>
} <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">else</span> {
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// no element for key "purple"
</span> }
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
In fact, the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
returns the address of the element if there is an element for the specified key;
otherwise, it returns<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code>.
The<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">if</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>statement
above actually relies on the automatic conversion of the pointer value to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">bool</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When the return value of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
stored in a pointer, the element can be accessed efficiently through that
pointer:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
string[<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>] numbers =
[ 0 : <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"zero"</span>, 1 : <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"one"</span>, 2 : <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"two"</span>, 3 : <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"three"</span> ];
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> number = 2;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">element</span> = number <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</span> numbers; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (1)
</span>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">if</span> (<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">element</span>) { <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (2)
</span> writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I know: %s."</span>, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*element</span>); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (3)
</span>
} <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">else</span> {
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I don't know the spelling of %s."</span>, number);
}
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The pointer variable<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">element</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
initialized by the value of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</code>operator
(1) and its value is used in a logical expression (2). The value of the element
is accessed through that pointer (3) only if the pointer is not<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code>.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The actual type of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">element</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>above
is a pointer to the same type of the elements (i.e. values) of the associative
array. Since the elements of<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">numbers</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>above
are of type<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">string</code>,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>returns
a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">string*</code>.
Accordingly, the type could have been spelled out explicitly:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">string *</span> element = number <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">in</span> numbers;
</pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When to use pointers</h5>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When required by libraries</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Although pointer parameters are rare in D libraries, we have already seen that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">readf()</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
one function that requires pointers.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
As another example, the following function from the GtkD library takes a pointer
as well:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> GdkGeometry geometry;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ... set the members of 'geometry' ...
</span>
window.setGeometryHints(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">/* ... */</span>, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">&</span>geometry, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">/* ... */</span>);
</pre>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When referencing variables of value types</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers can be used for referring to local variables. The following program
counts the outcomes of flipping a coin. It takes advantage of a pointer when
referring to one of two local variables:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.random;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
size_t headsCount = 0;
size_t tailsCount = 0;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</span> (i; 0 .. 100) {
size_t * theCounter = (uniform(0, 2) == 1)
? &headsCount
: &tailsCount;
++(*theCounter);
}
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"heads: %s tails: %s"</span>, headsCount, tailsCount);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Obviously, there are other ways of achieving the same goal. For example, using
the ternary operator in a different way:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> uniform(0, 2) ? ++headsCount : ++tailsCount;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
By using an<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">if</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>statement:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">if</span> (uniform(0, 2)) {
++headsCount;
} <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">else</span> {
++tailsCount;
}
</pre>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
As member variables of data structures</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Pointers are essential when implementing many data structures.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Unlike the elements of an array being next to each other in memory, elements of
many other data structures are apart. Such data structures are based on the
concept of their elements<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">pointing
at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>other elements.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For example, each node of a linked list<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">points
at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the next node. Similarly, each
node of a binary tree<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">points
at</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the left and right branches
under that node. Pointers are encountered in most other data structures as well.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Although it is possible to take advantage of D's reference types, pointers may
be more natural and efficient in some cases.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
We will see examples of pointer members below.</p>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When accessing memory directly</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Being low-level microprocessor features, pointers provide byte-level access to
memory locations. Note that such locations must still belong to valid variables.
It is undefined behavior to attempt to access a random memory location.</p>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Examples</h5>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
A simple linked list</h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The elements of linked lists are stored in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">nodes</i>.
The concept of a linked list is based on each node pointing at the next one. The
last node has no other node to point at, so it is set to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">null</code>:</p>
<pre class="mono" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> first last
node node node
+---------+---+ +---------+---+ +---------+------+
| element | o----▶ | element | o----▶ ... | element | null |
+---------+---+ +---------+---+ +---------+------+
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The figure above may be misleading: In reality, the nodes are not side-by-side
in memory. Each node does point to the next node but the next node may be at a
completely different location.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The following struct can be used for representing the nodes of such a linked
list of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code>s:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> Node
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> element;
Node * next;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ...
</span>}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Note:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Because it contains a
reference to the same type as itself,<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Node</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
a recursive type.</i></p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The concept of the whole list can be represented by a single pointer that points
at the first node, which is commonly called<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the
head</i>:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> List
{
Node * head;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ...
</span>}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
To keep the example short, let's define just one function that adds an element
to the head of the list:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> List
{
Node * head;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> insertAtHead(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> element)
{
head = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Node(element, head);
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// ...
</span>}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The line inside<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">insertAtHead()</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>keeps
the nodes<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">linked</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>by
adding a new node to the head of the list. (A function that adds to the end of
the list would be more natural and more useful. We will see that function later
in one of the problems.)</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The right-hand side expression of that line constructs a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Node</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>object.
When this new object is constructed, its<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">next</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>member
is initialized by the current head of the list. When the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">head</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>member
of the list is assigned to this newly linked node, the new element ends up being
the first element.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The following program tests these two structs:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.conv;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.string;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> Node
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> element;
Node * next;
string toString() <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">const</span>
{
string result = to!string(element);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">if</span> (next) {
result ~= <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">" -> "</span> ~ to!string(*next);
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">return</span> result;
}
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> List
{
Node * head;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> insertAtHead(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> element)
{
head = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Node(element, head);
}
string toString() <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">const</span>
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">return</span> format(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"(%s)"</span>, head ? to!string(*head) : <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">""</span>);
}
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
List numbers;
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"before: "</span>, numbers);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</span> (number; 0 .. 10) {
numbers.insertAtHead(number);
}
writeln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"after : "</span>, numbers);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The output:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">before: ()
after : (9 -> 8 -> 7 -> 6 -> 5 -> 4 -> 3 -> 2 -> 1 -> 0)
</pre>
<h6 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Observing the contents of memory by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte*</code></h6>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The data stored at each memory address is a byte. Every variable is constructed
on a piece of memory that consists of as many bytes as the size of the type of
that variable.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
A suitable pointer type to observe the content of a memory location is<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte*</code>.
Once the address of a variable is assigned to a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</code>pointer,
then all of the bytes of that variable can be observed by incrementing the
pointer.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Let's consider the following integer that is initialized by the hexadecimal
notation so that it will be easy to understand how its bytes are placed in
memory:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> variable = 0x01_02_03_04;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
A pointer that points at that variable can be defined like this:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> * address = &variable;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The value of that pointer can be assigned to a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pointer
by the<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cast</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</span> * bytePointer = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cast</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</span>*)address;
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Such a pointer allows accessing the four bytes of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>variable
individually:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> writeln(bytePointer[0]);
writeln(bytePointer[1]);
writeln(bytePointer[2]);
writeln(bytePointer[3]);
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
If your microprocessor is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">little-endian</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>like
mine, you should see the bytes of the value<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">0x01_02_03_04</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in
reverse:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4
3
2
1
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Let's use that idea in a function that will be useful when observing the bytes
of all types of variables:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> printBytes(T)(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</span> T variable)
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">const</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</span> * begin = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cast</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</span>*)&variable; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (1)
</span>
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"type : %s"</span>, T.stringof);
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"value : %s"</span>, variable);
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"address: %s"</span>, begin); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (2)
</span> writef (<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"bytes : "</span>);
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"%(%02x %)"</span>, begin[0 .. T.sizeof]); <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// (3)
</span>
writeln();
}
</pre>
<ol style="margin: 1em 1em 0.75em 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Assigning the address of the variable to a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pointer.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Printing the value of the pointer.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Obtaining the size of the type by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.sizeof</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and
printing the bytes of the variable. (Note how a slice is produced from the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">begin</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pointer
and then that slice is printed directly by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">writefln()</code>.)</li>
</ol>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Another way of printing the bytes would be to apply the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">*</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>operator
individually:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</span> (bytePointer; begin .. begin + T.sizeof) {
writef(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"%02x "</span>, *bytePointer);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The value of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">bytePointer</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>would
change from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">begin</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">begin + T.sizeof</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to
visit all of the bytes of the variable. Note that the value<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">begin + T.sizeof</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
outside of the range and is never accessed.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The following program calls<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">printBytes()</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>with
various types of variables:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> Struct
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> first;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> second;
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">class</span> Class
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> i;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> j;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> k;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">this</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> i, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> j, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> k)
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">this</span>.i = i;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">this</span>.j = j;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">this</span>.k = k;
}
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> integerVariable = 0x11223344;
printBytes(integerVariable);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span> doubleVariable = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double</span>.nan;
printBytes(doubleVariable);
string slice = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"a bright and charming façade"</span>;
printBytes(slice);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span>[3] array = [ 1, 2, 3 ];
printBytes(array);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> structObject = Struct(0xaa, 0xbb);
printBytes(structObject);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">auto</span> classVariable = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">new</span> Class(1, 2, 3);
printBytes(classVariable);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The output of the program is informative:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">type : int
value : 287454020
address: 7FFF19A83FB0
bytes : 44 33 22 11 <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(1)</span>
type : double
value : nan
address: 7FFF19A83FB8
bytes : 00 00 00 00 00 00 f8 7f <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(2)</span>
type : string
value : a bright and charming façade
address: 7FFF19A83FC0
bytes : 1d 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 68 48 00 00 00 00 00
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(3)</span>
type : int[3LU]
value : [1, 2, 3]
address: 7FFF19A83FD0
bytes : 01 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(1)</span>
type : Struct
value : Struct(170, 187)
address: 7FFF19A83FE8
bytes : aa 00 00 00 bb 00 00 00 <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(1)</span>
type : Class
value : deneme.Class
address: 7FFF19A83FF0
bytes : 80 df 79 d5 97 7f 00 00 <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(4)</span>
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Observations:</b></p>
<ol style="margin: 1em 1em 0.75em 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Although in reverse order on little-endian systems, the bytes of some of the
types are as one would expect: The bytes are laid out in memory side by side
for<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code>s,
fixed-length arrays (<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int[3]</code>),
and struct objects.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Considering that the bytes of the special value of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">double.nan</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>are
also in reverse order in memory, we can see that it is represented by the
special bit pattern 0x7ff8000000000000.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
string</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is reported to be
consisting of 16 bytes but it is impossible to fit the letters<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="d_string" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><tt style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"a
bright and charming façade"</tt></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>into
so few bytes. This is due to the fact that behind the scenes<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">string</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is
actually implemented as a struct. Prefixing its name by<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">__</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to
stress the fact that it is an internal type used by the compiler, that
struct is similar to the following one:<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> __string
{
size_t length;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">char</span> * ptr; <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// the actual characters
</span>}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
The evidence of this fact is hidden in the bytes that are printed for<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">string</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>above.
Note that because ç is made up of two UTF-8 code units, the 28 letters of
the string<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="d_string" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><tt style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"a
bright and charming façade"</tt></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>consists
of a total of 29 bytes. The value 0x000000000000001d, the first 8 of the
bytes of the string in the output above, is also 29. This is a strong
indicator that strings are indeed laid out in memory as in the struct above.</p>
</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Similarly, it is not possible to fit the three<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>members
of the class object in 8 bytes. The output above hints at the possibility
that behind the scenes a class variable is implemented as a single pointer
that points at the actual class object:<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">struct</span> __Class_VariableType
{
__Class_ActualObjecType * object;
}
</pre>
</li>
</ol>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Let's now consider a more flexible function. Instead of printing the bytes of a
variable, let's define a function that prints specified number of bytes at a
specified location:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.stdio;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">import</span> std.ascii;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> printMemory(T)(T * location, size_t length)
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">const</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</span> * begin = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">cast</span>(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ubyte</span>*)location;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">foreach</span> (address; begin .. begin + length) {
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">char</span> c = (isPrintable(*address) ? *address : '.');
writefln(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"%s: %02x %s"</span>, address, *address, c);
}
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Since some of the UTF-8 code units may correspond to control characters of the
console and disrupt its output, we print only the printable characters by first
checking them individually by<code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">std.ascii.isPrintable()</code>.
The non-printable characters are printed as a dot.</p>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
We can use that function to print the UTF-8 code units of a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">string</code>through
its<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">.ptr</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>property:</p>
<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
string s = <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: red; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"a bright and charming façade"</span>;
printMemory(s.ptr, s.length);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
As seen in the output, the letter ç consists of two bytes:</p>
<pre class="shell" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(224, 224, 224); font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">47B4F0: 61 a
47B4F1: 20
47B4F2: 62 b
47B4F3: 72 r
47B4F4: 69 i
47B4F5: 67 g
47B4F6: 68 h
47B4F7: 74 t
47B4F8: 20
47B4F9: 61 a
47B4FA: 6e n
47B4FB: 64 d
47B4FC: 20
47B4FD: 63 c
47B4FE: 68 h
47B4FF: 61 a
47B500: 72 r
47B501: 6d m
47B502: 69 i
47B503: 6e n
47B504: 67 g
47B505: 20
47B506: 66 f
47B507: 61 a
47B508: c3 .
47B509: a7 .
47B50A: 61 a
47B50B: 64 d
47B50C: 65 e
</pre>
<h5 style="margin: 1.25em 0.5em 0.5em 8px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.25em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Exercises</h5>
<ol style="margin: 1em 1em 0.75em 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Fix the following function so that the values of the arguments that are
passed to it are swapped. For this exercise, do not specify the parameters
as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ref</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>but
take them as pointers:<pre class="d_code" style="margin: 0.5em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0.5em; border: 1px dotted rgb(153, 204, 153); outline: 0px; font-size: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> swap(<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> lhs, <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> rhs)
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> temp = lhs;
lhs = rhs;
rhs = temp;
}
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">void</span> main()
{
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> i = 1;
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">int</span> j = 2;
swap(i, j);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: green; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">// Their values should be swapped
</span> <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">assert</span>(i == 2);
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: blue; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">assert</span>(j == 1);
}
</pre>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
When you start the program you will notice that the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">assert</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>checks
currently fail.</p>
</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
Convert the linked list that we have defined above to a template so that it
can be used for storing elements of any type.</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
It is more natural to add elements to the end of a linked list. Modify<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><code class="d_inline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 34, 34); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">List</code><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>so
that it is possible to add elements to the end as well.<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
For this exercise, an additional pointer member variable that points at the
last element will be useful.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p style="margin: 0.75em 1em 0.75em 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
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