Pointer

A pointer is an index entry in the directory of a disc (or other storage medium) that identifies the space on the disc in which an electronic document or piece of electronic data resides, thereby preventing that space from being overwritten by other data. In most cases, when an electronic document is deleted, the pointer is deleted, which allows the document to be overwritten, but the document is not actually erased.

A pointer is an index entry in the directory of a disk (or other storage medium) that identifies the space on the disc in which an electronic document or piece of electronic data resides, thereby preventing that space from being overwritten by other data. In most cases, when an electronic document is "deleted," the pointer is deleted, which allows the document to be overwritten, but the document is not actually erased.

A "variable" in a language like C that contains the exact memory location of some other item. Perl handles pointers internally so you don't have to worry about them. Instead, you just use symbolic pointers in the form of keys and "variable" names, or hard references, which aren't pointers (but act like pointers and do in fact contain pointers).

A function indicator that (a) is under the direct control of a computer operator, and (b) is used to indicate displayed information, to highlight data, to identify areas of interest, to serve as a graphic display cursor, and/or to select icons. 2. In computer graphics, a manually operated functional unit used to specify an addressable point. 3. In computer programming, an identifier that indicates the location of a data item.