Function returning pointer to function

Hello,

I am getting a compilation error for this:

Code:

int(*)(int)fun();

What I am trying to declare is a function that returns a pointer to a function taking an int argument and returning an int. Can anybody tell me where the problem is? Thanks.

Originally Posted by DL1

What I am trying to declare is a function that returns a pointer to a function taking an int argument and returning an int. Can anybody tell me where the problem is?

When I get confused, I just "cheat" with a typedef:

Code:

typedef int (*Function)(int);

Function fun();

It makes the code more readable, anyway.

It is easiest if you use a typedef:

Code:

typedef int (*fn)(int); // typedef fn as a function that takes an int and returns an int

fn fun(); // Declare fun() which returns a function that takes an int and returns an int

Thanks. That's what I ended up doing. I am still puzzled as to why my initial declaration didn't work though. I can't see any difference between it and the typedef version, other than that the latter introduces a new name.

So far as I can tell, the real version is this:

Code:

int (*(fun(void))) (int);

What you originally posted is ... well, I'm pretty sure it's not even a little bit syntactically valid.

Nicely put. I see now where I went wrong, I think.

And if the function took an argument of the same pointer type, it would presumably be declared as follows:

Code:

int (*(fun(int(*)(int)))) (int);

That's correct.