Sometimes it is useful to create a byte array storing a single C value, like a struct with a single field. A pair of utility words exist to make this more convenient:
These words can be used to in conjunction with, or instead of, with-out-parameters to handle "out-parameters". For example, if a function is declared in the following way:
and writes to the pointer 'a', then it can be called like this:
The stack will then contain the two integers emitted by the 'do_foo' function.
<ref> ( value c-type -- c-ptr )
deref ( c-ptr c-type -- value )
These words can be used to in conjunction with, or instead of, with-out-parameters to handle "out-parameters". For example, if a function is declared in the following way:
FUNCTION: int do_foo ( int* a )
and writes to the pointer 'a', then it can be called like this:
1234 int <ref> [ do_foo ] keep int deref
The stack will then contain the two integers emitted by the 'do_foo' function.