Thread: 2 Begginer questions...

  1. #1
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    Question 2 Begginer questions...

    Hey, this is my first post and im learning how to program in c++

    As i advance in the begginer lessons, 2 questions have been wondering inside my head:

    1. How do you use pointers to change, from function A, the value of a variable from another function B? (Or, how do you do it at all :P)

    2. How can u return structures from functions? IE:
    Code:
    database fn();
    Being database a predefined struct?
    What are the practical uses for this?

    Thanx man

  2. #2
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    1. You make the parameter of the function B a pointer, then pass the address of the variable to the function. In C++, it is usually easier to use references instead. In that case, you would make the parameter of B a reference, and you pass the variable from A normally. Any changes to the parameter in B will affect the variable in A.

    2. Your code is correct. There are too many uses for this to list them all or to even start. In C++, a very common design goal is to make structs and classes (which are virtually the same thing) act like built-in types. That means that you pass them to functions or return them from functions just as you would a type like int or double.

  3. #3
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    Thanx

    Man i get trouble when returning structures from functions...
    I get the following error message:

    Code:
    .\Starter.cpp(22) : error C2556: 'main::data fn(void)' : overloaded function differs only by return type from 'char fn(void)'
            .\Starter.cpp(6) : see declaration of 'fn'
    Last edited by SoulBlade; 01-18-2006 at 01:34 PM.

  4. #4
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    post some code
    "I saw a sign that said 'Drink Canada Dry', so I started"
    -- Brendan Behan

    Free Compiler: Visual C++ 2005 Express
    If you program in C++, you need Boost. You should also know how to use the Standard Library (STL). Want to make games? After reading this, I don't like WxWidgets anymore. Want to add some scripting to your App?

  5. #5
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    Basically I define the struct, then create a function with return type of the struct type, but i dont know what to set in the return value of that function...

  6. #6
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    The error is because you have two functions both named fn, one that returns char and one that returns the struct.

    The code should be the same for a struct or an int. Create a variable of the type of your struct and return it. You really need to post the exact code if you have a specific problem.

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