passing variables between functions

Hi all!
As a newbie I try to dig into every basic problem to learn the proper way of programming, instead of make a work-around. My question is: Why is the choice-variable not passed in a proper way? The second time it's printed a very weird number is diplayed

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int Menu(int choice) 
{	
	printf("enter a number: ");
	scanf("%d", &choice);
	printf ("Choice is: %d\n", choice);
	return choice;
} 

int main(void) 
{
	int choice;
	Menu(choice);
	printf ("Choice is: %d\n", choice);
	return 0;
}

Thanks in advance for answer

Try this

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int Menu(void) 
{	
	int choice;
	printf("enter a number: ");
	scanf("%d", &choice);
	printf ("Choice is: %d\n", choice);
	return choice;
} 

int main(void) 
{
	int choice;
	choice = Menu();
	printf ("Choice is: %d\n", choice);
	return 0;
}

C doesn't have reference parameters.
So either return the result, or pass a pointer.

Thanks! I tried both methods, now with passing the values of two varibales, but get wrong output again:
returning method:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int Calc(int x,	int y){
	int z;
	int a;
	scanf("%d", &x);
	scanf("%d", &y);
	z=y+x;
	a=y*x;
	printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", z,a);
	return z,a;
} 

int main(void){
	int x;
	int y;
	int z;
	int a;
	z,a=Calc(x,y);
	printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", z,a);
	return 0;
}

pointer method

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int Calc(int x,	int y, int *zpointer; int *apointer){
	scanf("%d", &x);
	scanf("%d", &y);
	*zpointer=y+x;
	*apointer=y*x;
	printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", *zpointer, *apointer);
} 

int main(void){
	int x;
	int y;
	int z;
	int a;
	int*zpointer;
	int*apointer;
	*zpointer=z;
	*apointer=a;
	Calc(x,y, *zpointer,*apointer);
	printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", z,a);
	return 0;
}

1st method.From a function you can only return one "thing" ,variable here,not two!
For the second, when you pass variables by reference you call them by their addresses,like this

Code:

Calc(x,y, &zpointer,&apointer);

Also you want the pointer to be set at the address of a variable at initialization ,so

Code:

*zpointer=z;

should be

Code:

zpointer=&z;

I upgraded the code, but it doesn't want to compile:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int Calc(int x,	int y, int*zpointer; int*apointer){
	scanf("%d", &x);
	scanf("%d", &y);
	&zpointer=y+x;
	&apointer=y*x;
	printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", zpointer, apointer);
	return 0;
} 

int main(void){
	int x;
	int y;
	int z;
	int a;
	int*zpointer;
	int*apointer;
	zpointer=&z;
	apointer=&a;
	Calc(x,y,&zpointer,&apointer);
	printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", z,a);
	return 0;
}

Originally Posted by sababa.sababa

I upgraded the code, but it doesn't want to compile:

Without having tried to compile your code I would say that it doen't compile because of

Code:

Calc(x,y,&zpointer,&apointer);

zpointer and apointer are already pointers to int.
Try

Code:

Calc(x,y, zpointer, apointer);

Also In Calc : to dereference a pointer use the * operator ( not & ).
Kurt

I've tried different ways but only this work with my gcc-compiler:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int Input(){
	int something;
	scanf("%d", &something);
	return something;
} 

int Calc1(int x, int y){
	int z;
	z=y+x;
	return z;
} 

int Calc2(int x, int y){
	int a;
	a=y*x;
	return a;
} 

int main(void){
	int x;
	int y;
	int z;
	int a;
	x=Input();
	y=Input();
	z=Calc1(x,y);
	a=Calc2(x,y);
	printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", z,a);
	return 0;
}

I suppose that's the proper way of passing variables? My deduction is that in general a function should only return one variable. Am I right?

Yes ,only one variable.That variable may be many things though somehow set in a collection (e.g. structs,arrays..)

Notice that when a function has no paramaters, it is a good style to write

Code:

int Input(void)

Actually when you do not specify the word void, you might get yourself in logical errors.

Also notice that it is elegant to use prototypes of functions before main and the definition of them after it.In code

Code:

int Calc2(int x, int y);

int main(void)
{
     ...
}

 
int Calc2(int x, int y){
    int a;
    a=y*x;
    return a;
}

Thanks a lot!

In order to save RAM memory I suppose one should use malloc. Is that a standard approach for dealing with values? When should one use regular variables and when should one use malloc/free? Does malloc/free use more CPU than regular variables?

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int Input(void);

int Calc1(int *x, int *y);

int Calc2(int *x, int *y);

int main(void){
        int *x = malloc(sizeof(int));
        int *y = malloc(sizeof(int));
        *x=Input();
        *y=Input();
        int *z = malloc(sizeof(int));
        int *a = malloc(sizeof(int));
        *z=Calc1(x,y);
        *a=Calc2(x,y);
        free(x);
        free(y);
        printf ("z:%d a:%d\n", *z,*a);
        free(z);
        free(a);
        return 0;
}

int Input(void){
        int something;
        scanf("%d", &something);
        return something;
}

int Calc1(int *x, int *y){
        int z;
        int y2 = *y;
        int x2 = *x;
        z=y2+x2;
        return z;
}

int Calc2(int *x, int *y){
        int a;
        int y2 = *y;
        int x2 = *x;
        a=y2*x2;
        return a;
}