Support for cdef of C++ object references

When a C++ function returns a reference we are forced to workaround: typically make the call inside a function accepting references

It would be desirable to support cdef Foo & obj = func_bar()

Cython apparently declares the reference and assigns to it in different steps, which obviously doesn’t compile.

[robertwb]

The cdef Foo* obj = &func_bar() trick only works when func_bar returns a reference. It is correct that an assignment invokes the assignment operator.

[ferdonline]

Instead, write cdef Foo* obj = &func_bar() which is just as powerful.

I was wondering if cython was specially handling that case, but no, it doesn’t work. ...xxx:165:34: Taking address of non-lvalue (type Positions)