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[[Category:Variables]][[Category:Glossary]]
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'''Pointers''' are special in C++. '''Pointers''' can be used to point to a [[variable]] instead of becoming a variable.  Here is an example: There are 5 [[integer]] [[variable]]s. Each one is named accordingly (anInteger1, anInteger2, ect).  However we have a [[function]] that uses whatever [[integer]] the user chooses.

Enter '''pointer'''s.

When running the program, the user makes his choice to pick whatever [[integer]] he wants.  When that happens, the '''pointer''' is pointed toward that [[integer]].  Finally, whenever the user is ready, he will continue to the next stage, where a [[function]] is run to return the value of the [[integer]] he has chosen.

The function will automatically pick whatever [[integer]] we have the '''pointer''' aimed at.

The main advantage to pointer is that they do not waste memory.  in the function, we are working with the actual integer variable, rather than a copy of it.  This has its disadvantages however.  If we will be editing the entered integer value, but do not wish to edit the original variable, pointers will not suffice.

== Pointers in Scripting ==
There are also pointers used in scripting.
A few working pointers in the source engine:
* !player - The local player
* !player* - All players in a multiplayer game
* !activator - What entity caused the current entity to run it's output. (ie, Player breaks crate, so !activator points to the player.)
* !picker - The entity that the local player is looking at.
* !self - Whenever an output runs, this is the entity the output is running from.

== External Links ==
[[Wikipedia:Pointer|Wikipedia information on pointers]]