How can I change the variable to which a C++ reference refers?

Question

If I have this:

int a = 2;
int b = 4;
int &ref = a;

How can I make ref refer to b after this code?

Answer 1

You can't reassign a reference, but if you're looking for something that would provide similar abilities to this you can do a pointer instead.

int a = 2;
int b = 4;
int* ptr = &a;  //ptr points to memory location of a.
ptr = &b;       //ptr points to memory location of b now.

You can get or set the value within pointer with: 

*ptr = 5;     //set
int c = *ptr; //get

Answer 2

It is impossible, as other answers state.

However, if you store your reference in a class or struct, you could re-create the whole thing using placement new, so the reference is re-bound. As @HolyBlackCat noted, don't forget to use std::launder to access the re-created object or use the pointer returned from the placement new. Consider my example:

#include <iostream>

struct A {
    A(int& ref) : ref(ref) {}
    // A reference stored as a field
    int& ref;    
};

int main() {
  int a = 42;
  int b = 43;

  // When instance is created, the reference is bound to a
  A ref_container(a);
  std::cout << 
    "&ref_container.ref = " << &ref_container.ref << std::endl <<
    "&a = " << &a << std::endl << std::endl;

  // Re-create the instance, and bind the reference to b
  A* new_ref_container = new(&ref_container) A(b);
  std::cout <<
    // &ref_container and new_ref_container are the same pointers
    "&ref_container = " << &ref_container << std::endl <<
    "new_ref_container = " << new_ref_container << std::endl <<
    "&new_ref_container.ref = " << &new_ref_container->ref << std::endl <<
    "&b = " << &b << std::endl << std::endl;

  return 0;
}

demo

The output is:

&ref_container.ref = 0x7ffdcb5f8c44
&a = 0x7ffdcb5f8c44

&ref_container = 0x7ffdcb5f8c38
new_ref_container = 0x7ffdcb5f8c38
&new_ref_container.ref = 0x7ffdcb5f8c40
&b = 0x7ffdcb5f8c40

Answer 3

With C++11 there is the new(ish) std::reference_wrapper.

#include <functional>

int main() {
  int a = 2;
  int b = 4;
  auto ref = std::ref(a);
  //std::reference_wrapper<int> ref = std::ref(a); <- Or with the type specified
  ref = std::ref(b);
}

This is also useful for storing references in containers.

Answer 4

That's not possible in the way you want. C++ just doesn't let you rebind what a reference points to.

However if you want to use trickery you can almost simulate it with a new scope (NEVER do this in a real program):

int a = 2;
int b = 4;
int &ref = a;

{
    int& ref = b; // Shadows the original ref so everything inside this { } refers to `ref` as `b` now.
}

Answer 5

This is possible. Because under the hood, reference is a pointer. The following code will print "hello world"

#include "stdlib.h"
#include "stdio.h"
#include <string>

using namespace std;

class ReferenceChange
{
public:
    size_t otherVariable;
    string& ref;

    ReferenceChange() : ref(*((string*)NULL)) {}

    void setRef(string& str) {
        *(&this->otherVariable + 1) = (size_t)&str;
    }
};

void main()
{
    string a("hello");
    string b("world");

    ReferenceChange rc;

    rc.setRef(a);
    printf("%s ", rc.ref.c_str());

    rc.setRef(b);
    printf("%s\n", rc.ref.c_str());
}

Answer 6

You can make a reference wrapper very easy using the placement new:

template< class T >
class RefWrapper
{
public:
    RefWrapper( T& v ) : m_v( v ){}

    operator T&(){ return m_v; }
    T& operator=( const T& a ){ m_v = a; return m_v;}
    //...... //
    void remap( T& v )
    {
        //re-map  reference
        new (this) RefWrapper(v);
    }

private:
    T& m_v;
};


 int32 a = 0;
 int32 b = 0;
 RefWrapper< int > r( a );

 r = 1; // a = 1 now
 r.remap( b );
 r = 2; // b = 2 now