[#BloombergLP-bdlb-VariantImp-the-0e]
= xref:BloombergLP.adoc[BloombergLP]::xref:BloombergLP/bdlb.adoc[bdlb]::xref:BloombergLP/bdlb/VariantImp.adoc[VariantImp]::the
:relfileprefix: ../../../
:mrdocs:

Return a modifiable reference to the held `TYPE` value&period;

== Synopsis

Declared in `&lt;bdlb&lowbar;variant&period;h&gt;`

[source,cpp,subs="verbatim,replacements,macros,-callouts"]
----
template&lt;class TYPE&gt;
TYPE&
the();
----

== Description

`TYPE` must be the same as one of the types that this variant can hold&period; The behavior is undefined unless `is&lt;TYPE&gt;()` returns `true` and `TYPE` is not `void`&period; Note that `TYPE` must be specified explicitly, e&period;g&period;, `myValue&period;the&lt;int&gt;()`&period;

== Return Value

modifiable reference to the held `TYPE` value


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