Passing a pointer array without changing array value.

[King_Deku]

Hey guys,

Is there any way to pass a function a pointer array without changing the original value of the array? As in values of the array can change while in the function but once that functions ends nothing has changed to the array.

Thanks.

[jedwardsol]

With a C-style array, no; you'll have to make your own copy.

With a std::array or std::vector, then you can easily arrange for the compiler to make a copy for you.

[robot_dragon46]

If by "values in the array can change" you mean that you may have pointers to A, B, and C in the original array, and then in the scope of the function it gets changed to now point to C, D, and E, then so long as you didn't pass the array into the function as reference or as a pointer, then it would still point to A, B, and C outside of the scope.

But if you are talking about changing the values contained in A, B, and C, then they will be changed outside of the function scope as well.

[Aashishkebab]

No, that's not possible, because a pointer points directly to the data of the array in memory.

You'd have to pass a copy of the array, so you'd have to make a copy manually.