Pointers in Python?

Question

I know Python doesn't have pointers, but is there a way to have this yield 2 instead

>>> a = 1
>>> b = a # modify this line somehow so that b "points to" a
>>> a = 2
>>> b
1

?

---

Here's an example: I want form.data['field'] and form.field.value to always have the same value. It's not completely necessary, but I think it would be nice.

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In PHP, for example, I can do this:

<?php

class Form {
    public $data = [];
    public $fields;

    function __construct($fields) {
        $this->fields = $fields;
        foreach($this->fields as &$field) {
            $this->data[$field['id']] = &$field['value'];
        }
    }
}

$f = new Form([
    [
        'id' => 'fname',
        'value' => 'George'
    ],
    [
        'id' => 'lname',
        'value' => 'Lucas'
    ]
]);

echo $f->data['fname'], $f->fields[0]['value']; # George George
$f->data['fname'] = 'Ralph';
echo $f->data['fname'], $f->fields[0]['value']; # Ralph Ralph

Output:

GeorgeGeorgeRalphRalph

ideone

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Or like this in C++ (I think this is right, but my C++ is rusty):

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    int* a;
    int* b = a;
    *a = 1;
    cout << *a << endl << *b << endl; # 1 1

    return 0;
}

Answer 1

There's no way you can do that changing only that line. You can do:

a = [1]
b = a
a[0] = 2
b[0]

That creates a list, assigns the reference to a, then b also, uses the a reference to set the first element to 2, then accesses using the b reference variable.