# Simple question: pointer equivalent in ruby **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [October 17, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626 "2010-10-17T17:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![okkezSS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/85f322/32.png) [@okkezSS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/okkezSS)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/1 "2010-10-17T17:59:11Z")
learned ruby a few months ago - is there a pointer equivalent in ruby for setting the variable referenced by the return value of a function, rather than just getting it? like something that would allow you to do this. def method @value end @value = 5 method = 3 @value (should be 3) OR even value = 5 othervalue = value othervalue = 3 value (should be 3) ---
**Author:** ![voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/e9a140/32.png) [@voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/voxom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/2 "2010-10-17T18:15:55Z")
Shea B. wrote in post #954956: > OR even > > value = 5 > othervalue = value > othervalue = 3 > value (should be 3) That is precisely how ruby works by default. If you wanted othervalue to just take the ‘value’ of value, i.e. 3, you would use this instead: value = 5 other = value.dup puts other #5 other = 3 puts other #3 puts value #5 ---
**Author:** ![voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/e9a140/32.png) [@voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/voxom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/3 "2010-10-17T18:19:15Z")
what about the first example with the method? ---
**Author:** ![voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/e9a140/32.png) [@voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/voxom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/4 "2010-10-17T18:29:52Z")
Well generally for such situations you create setters, the example you gave includes only a getter. def method=(val) @value = val end that will then allow you to do method = 3 & that will in turn set @value to 3. Although I don’t see what exactly you wanted to know or what you’re example had to do with pointers… – Thanks & Regards, Dhruva S… ---
**Author:** ![voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/e9a140/32.png) [@voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/voxom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/5 "2010-10-17T18:32:24Z")
Hi – On Mon, 18 Oct 2010, Parker S. wrote: > value = 5 > other = value.dup Have you tried running that? 🙂 David – David A. Black, Senior Developer, Cyrus Innovation Inc. The Ruby training with Black/Brown/McAnally Compleat Stay tuned for next event! Rubyist [http://www.compleatrubyist.com](http://www.compleatrubyist.com) ---
**Author:** ![voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/e9a140/32.png) [@voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/voxom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/6 "2010-10-17T21:13:56Z")
I was confused about the way that ruby assigns and stores variables. I fixed my problem using setters and getters. thanks for the help ---
**Author:** ![voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/e9a140/32.png) [@voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/voxom)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/7 "2010-10-17T19:56:07Z")
On 10/17/2010 06:22 PM, Shea B. wrote: > what about the first example with the method? method = 3 will always assign to a local variable. If you really want to produce other side effects you need to do self.method = 3 The topic seems to come up more frequently in recent time. I don’t know whether Ruby community experiences increased migration from C++ developers or what the reason for this is. I believe the fact that people search for something call by reference in said language indicates that they do not have adjusted to the Ruby mindset yet. Shea, if you provide more context we might be able to help you understand how the problem you are trying to solve is usually solved in Ruby - without call by reference. Kind regards robert ---
**Author:** ![voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/e9a140/32.png) [@voxom](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/voxom)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/simple-question-pointer-equivalent-in-ruby/197626/8 "2010-10-18T02:22:20Z")
David A. Black wrote in post #954969: > Hi – > > On Mon, 18 Oct 2010, Parker S. wrote: > > > value = 5 > > other = value.dup > > Have you tried running that? 🙂 Doh! I really should have gone with a non nil, symbol, number example instead =) Shea B. wrote: > I fixed my problem using setters and getters. If you’re now writing manual accessors (method, method=) definitely look at attr\_accessor, which will save you a lot of work.