TalkChess.com

Am I correct in assuming that every variable in JavaScript holds merely a pointer to an independently existing object? E.g. if 'moves' is an array, and I would do

var savedMoves = moves;
moves = [];
... // assign something to the elements move[n]
moves = savedMoves;

that I would have my original array of moves back unmodied, and that the operation savedMoves = moves is just a simple assignment of a pointer, rather than actual copying of the entire array?

Don't know much about javascript. Array is an object so it would be logical to copy only the reference.

Yes, for arrays this is true, you just copy a reference. For primitive type you would copy the value itself.

arr1 = arr2.slice(0)

copies arr2 to arr1 by value (but caution: if the array elements have complex types those are still copied by reference).

--Jon

jdart wrote: ↑Thu Jan 31, 2019 3:41 pm arr1 = arr2.slice(0)

copies arr2 to arr1 by value (but caution: if the array elements have complex types those are still copied by reference).

--Jon

They call that shallow copy. Otherwise deep copy.