Python equivalent of pointers
pointers, python, reference
Solution
What about a mutable data structure?
>>> a = mutable_structure(1)
>>> d = {'a':a}
>>> d['a']
1
>>> a.setValue(2)
>>> d['a']
2
An implementation might look like
class mutable_structure:
def __init__(self, val):
self.val = val
def __repr__(self):
return self.val
Problem
In python everything works by reference: ``` >>> a = 1 >>> d = {'a':a} >>> d['a'] 1 >>> a = 2 >>> d['a'] 1 ``` I want something like this ``` >>> a = 1 >>> d = {'a':magical pointer to a} >>> d['a'] 1 >>> a = 2 >>> d['a'] 2 ``` What would you substitute for magical pointer to a so that python would output what I want. I would appreciate general solutions (not just for the above dictionary example with independent variables, but something that would work for other collections and class/instance variables)