VarPtr : What's it for?

From a couple of days checking Bmax there is a shedload of stuff that my 'basic' background hasn't prepared me for.
(if anybody knows a good guide to pointers, methods, abstracts etc... I'd appreciate it).
However, I'm checking VarPtr and I'm surprised the example
returns 20 and not the address of the variable...

' few additions but basically the supplied code
Rem
Varptr returns the address of a variable in system memory.
End Rem
Local a:int
Local name:string
Local b:Int Ptr
Local p:string Ptr
a=10
name="Tony"
p=Varptr name
b=Varptr a
Print p[0]
Print b[0]

If varptr DOES return the variable value then what's it used for?

try adding:

Print Int(p)
Print Int(b)

at the bottom of that example

Thanks Dan, That works.
The doc example is a bit 'loose' suggesting varptr will put the address of 'a' into 'p'.
What does 'print int(p)' do and why is it needed in this
example?

"p" returns the address, "p[0]" returns the variable at the address

the reason for "print int(p)" is that "print p" gives an "Unable to convert from 'String Ptr' to 'String'" error

Good stuff. Many thanks

Yah, was gunna say, if you put [0] you read the content not the address