Cheat Engine

Dark Byte · Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 5:16 pm Post subject: FAQ: How to use a pointer

Because this question comes back almost every week I'll try to explain how to work with pointers

I'm not going to tell you how to code it, but I will tell you what you have to do

Let's start with something easy, a level-1 pointer

you have a pointer where people say : 0048123C+10C , first off, this notation is wrong, the actual notation should be [0048123C]+10C, anyhow,
to get to the real address you have to READ the "4 BYTES" at 0048123C as a value, and add the value 10C to it. (Don't forget that the notation I use is in hexadecimal, even for offsets)
Now interpret this new value as an address, and you have the address that actually contains the address you need. Using this address you can now Write or Read from the specific item the pointer points to.

Now a little bit more complicated, a level-8 pointer:

Let's say you now have a pointer as noted down in ce:

talkerzero · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks, this helped me with understanding multilevel pointers better. (never really understood it)

Sneak · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 9:38 pm Post subject:

nice darkbyte. Now i can start ma hax xD

TraxMate · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 4:56 am Post subject:

Thanks Dark Byte, I agree with talker0 this really helped me understand how to work with multilevel pointers.

NINTENDO · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 4:59 am Post subject:

I'll check it out when after I get my mcts.

gunminiho · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:45 pm Post subject:

Plop... it wasnt hard -.-!!! i really thought that i was gonna be hard,its just as read a 1 level pointer -.-!!!!

Destrod16 · Newbie cheater Reputation: 0 Joined: 03 Aug 2009 Posts: 21

This is really useful, thanks. I would also like to add how you would use multi-level pointers in C++. Here is an example:

Let's say you have 4 pointers, this is how you would do it.

smartz993 · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:08 am Post subject:

hcavolsdsadgadsg · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:39 am Post subject:

Slugsnack · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:11 am Post subject:

there's no harm in good code practice. it's better practice to write good code than to depend on the compiler to fix your messes

Destrod16 · Newbie cheater Reputation: 0 Joined: 03 Aug 2009 Posts: 21

Oh so you mean like this:

Slugsnack · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:16 am Post subject:

yes he does mean that, that way makes it nice and readable as well. better still, change 'thefirst' to a more meaningful name and it'd be great

i'd find that a lot easier to understand than reading the initial code. i get confused when i see people putting in obsolete/superfluous variables since i'm waiting to see their use elsewhere further in the program, etc.

Destrod16 · Newbie cheater Reputation: 0 Joined: 03 Aug 2009 Posts: 21

Ok, oh and could I have that speedhack you wrote and possibly the source of it? If you don't want to give the source then that's fine.

Slugsnack · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:46 am Post subject:

yes, at work right now. i'll post it when i get home in like 10 more hours..

talkerzero · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:52 am Post subject: