// illustrates pointer initializations, using address-of operator
//  and copying pointers to other pointers of the same type

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
   int * ip1, * ip2;
   double * dp1, * dp2;
   char * cp1, * cp2;

   int x = 5;
   double a = 1.1;
   char ch = '$';

   ip2 = &x;		// legal, attaches ip2 to x
   dp2 = &a;		// legal, attaches dp2 to a
   cp2 = &ch;		// legal, attaches cp2 to ch

   cout << "ip2 = " << ip2 << "\t &x = " << &x << '\n';
   cout << "dp2 = " << dp2 << "\t &a = " << &a << '\n';
   cout << "cp2 = " << cp2 << "\t &ch = " << &ch << '\n';
   cout << "cp2 = " << reinterpret_cast<void*>(cp2) << "\t &ch = " 
	<< reinterpret_cast<void* >(&ch) << "\n\n";

   // why did I need a cast operation to print the address of the char* ?

   cout << "*ip2 = " << *ip2 << "\t x = " << x << '\n';
   cout << "*dp2 = " << *dp2 << "\t a = " << a << '\n';
   cout << "*cp2 = " << *cp2 << "\t ch = " << ch << "\n\n";

   ip1 = ip2;		// legal, assignment of same type
   dp1 = dp2;		// legal
   cp1 = cp2;		// legal

   cout << "ip1 points to " << *ip1 << '\n';
   cout << "dp1 points to " << *dp1 << '\n';
   cout << "cp1 points to " << *cp1 << "\n\n";

   // ATTEMPTING ILLEGAL OPERATIONS -- uncomment this block to see the
   //                                  compile errors
/*
   ip1 = cp1;		// trying to assign char* to an int*
   dp1 = ip1;		// trying to assign int* to a double*
   cp1 = &a;		// trying to assign address of a double to a char*
*/
   // assignment of different pointer types with a cast operation:

   // pointing dp1 at the integer x, and pointing ip1 at the double 'a'

   dp1 = reinterpret_cast<double* >(ip2);
   ip1 = reinterpret_cast<int* >(dp2);   

   cout << "ip1 points to " << *ip1 << '\n';
   cout << "dp1 points to " << *dp1 << '\n';


   cout << "\nip2 = " << ip2 << '\n';
   cout << "&*ip2 = " << &*ip2 << "\n\n";

   cout << "x = " << x << '\n';
   cout << "*&x = " << *&x << '\n';

   return 0;
}