publish pointers

examples.txt

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Multiple Return Values
 Variadic Functions
 Closures
 Recursion
-# Pointers
+Pointers
 # New
 # Structs
 # Methods

examples/pointers/pointers.go

@@ -1,14 +1,39 @@
+// Go supports <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointer_(computer_programming)">pointers</a></em>,
+// allowing you to pass references to values and records
+// within your program.
+
 package main
 
 import "fmt"
 
-func zero(xPtr *int) {
-    *xPtr = 0
+// We'll show how pointers work in contrast to values with
+// 2 functions: `zeroval` and `zeroptr`. `zeroval` has an
+// `int` parameter, so arguments will be passed to it by
+// value. `zeroval` will get a copy of `ival` distinct
+// from the one in the calling function.
+func zeroval(ival int) {
+    ival = 0
+}
+
+// `zeroptr` in contrast has an `*int` parameter, meaning
+// that it takes an `int` pointer. The `*iptr` code in the
+// function body then _dereferences_ the pointer from its
+// memory address to the current value at that address.
+// Assigning a value to a dereferenced pointer changes the
+// value at the referenced address.
+func zeroptr(iptr *int) {
+    *iptr = 0
 }
 
 func main() {
-    x := 5
-    fmt.Println(x)
-    zero(&x)
-    fmt.Println(x)
+    i := 1
+    fmt.Println("initial:", i)
+
+    zeroval(i)
+    fmt.Println("zeroval:", i)
+
+    // The `&i` syntax gives the memory address of `i`,
+    // i.e. a pointer to `i`.
+    zeroptr(&i)
+    fmt.Println("zeroptr:", i)
 }

examples/pointers/pointers.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# `zeroval` doesn't change the `i` in `main`, but
+# `zeroptr` does because it has a reference to
+# the memory address for that variable.
+$ go run pointers.go
+initial: 1
+zeroval: 1
+zeroptr: 0