Ampersand differences

[smkl]

Hello, I am very new to C++ and am just learning.

If I were to declare variable as this:

int a = 7
int b = 6
int* c = &b

This would simply mean that c = 6, correct? c has a reference to b.

But now I get more confused with this ampersand:

void test( int& x, int y, int*& z )
x++;
y++;
z= &a;

I get that when you have an & in parameters, it becomes reference parameters. But the part with int*& z confuses me. What does the *& together mean?

Thanks in advance!

[vlad from moscow]

int x = 10;
int &rx = x;


Here rx is reference to x of type int.

int *p = 0;
int * &rp = p;

Here rp is reference to p of type int *.

[Peter87]

This would simply mean that c = 6, correct? c has a reference to b.

No. c is a pointer to b. *c == 6.

I get that when you have an & in parameters, it becomes reference parameters. But the part with int*& z confuses me. What does the *& together mean?

It means it's a reference to a pointer.