[edoceo]

Remember ByVal and ByRef from VB? (I hope you don't, it was the dark ages) but those to terms I've found are very useful for getting folk introduced to pointer - and also why.

[slimsag]

That is really interesting to me! I never used VB, is the only difference here that it is "named" ByVal and ByRef that you think made it easier for people to understand than "pointers"?

[edoceo]

Well, I use those terms (ByVal/Ref) and then say, one is a copy (byVal) and the other is a reference (pointer to you and me) to the thing.

So, pass small things ByVal (int, float), it's on the Stack.

Pass big things (Object) ByRef cause they're in the Heap.

Then I start saying pointer more than ByRef and the link is made.

Then on to ByRef/Pointer to how that then manipulate the shared data.

Once that basic is done, we refine/clarify around what Pointer really is, and also it's syntax.

[Riverheart]

I'm not sure I've seen this explained so well in so few words. Thanks!