passing reference into constructor

[elabelle]

If I have a class named "whatever" with a string member str, and it has the following constructor:

whatever(std::string & s) : str(s) {}

Does s get copied into str or do both s and str end up refering to the same string?

[jsmith]

It depends on how you declared str. Is it a reference or not?
If it is a reference, then by definition they refer to the same string.
If it is not, then there are two separate string instances that can be
changed without affecting the other.

[elabelle]

Ok, thanks.