how t properly pass a struct into a funct

Before I get into anymore bad habits, please help me with passing a struct into a function. I've never had the need to do this in the past, but it seems like I need it now. If I had a struct like

Code:

---


struct test
{
    int a, b, c, d , e;

    char name1[20];
    char name2[20];

    ......
};

---

How exactly I would I write the prototype, definition, and caller? I would want to have several functions have access to the same data set.

TIA

i *think*

Code:

---


struct test
{
    int a, b, c, d , e;
    char name1[20];
    char name2[20];
};

// prototype

void structfunc (struct test t);

// pass

struct test q;
structfunc (q);

// function

void structfunc (struct test t)
{
  t.a += 4;
  t.name1[6] = 'Q';
}

---

i use typedef struct normally which has a few subtle differences from struct, and i think i remembered them here, but not sure

edit: obviously this leads out stupid stuff like putting useful data in q before calling structfunc()

Hey thanks for the reply moi.... I'll give this a shot.

It's almost always better to pass a pointer to the structure instead of passing the structure itself. This way you don't waste memory by copying the structure, all you copy is a pointer.

-Prelude

> It's almost always better to pass a pointer to the structure
Best make sure it's a pointer to a const structure, just in case you accidentally try and modify it.

> i use typedef struct normally which has a few subtle differences from struct
The only difference is you don't have to keep saying struct. Apart from that, the typedef of a struct is exactly the same as the struct.

The pointer sounds like a plan. Thanks to all.