Thread: Initialized reference in function

Originally Posted by Yarin

Why wouldn't this work?

Code:

int Function(float &value)
{
   value = 5.0f;
   return 1;
}

int Function()
{
   float value = 0.0;
   return Function(value);
}

Yes that would work but it would mean I would have to define "float value" everytime I call the function even if I don't use it. Most of the time I will not be using that value so I would rather like to have the option to call the function without arguments.

Edit: I misinterpreted you code... might be more clever than I thought... so you mean I have all the code in the "int Function(float &value)" function and just wraps that function with an overloaded function without arguments?

Of course, almost any optimising compiler would probably figure out how to inline a one-line function by itself. It's probably still a good idea to use inline, however, if only for the reader.

That's assuming that the pointer method didn't work out . . . .

Maybe you should get an optimising compiler.

I'm pretty sure that Windows does. http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showthread.php?t=98574

But I know what you mean. I'd probably put inline in myself, I was just pointing out that optimising compilers likely make the keyword redundant. (Remember register? . . . .)