Thread: pass by reference question

Hey.
Here is alittle bit of my code.

Code:

char words[MAX_SIZE]; /* array of words */
int totalLetters;

printf("%d\n", calcSize(words, &totalLetters)); /* print value of function calcSize*/
int calcSize(char words[], int *totalLetters) /* function calcSize */
{
	int sum = 0;
	int i =0;
	while(words[i] != '\0') {
		for (i =0; words[i] ; i++)
			*totalLetters++;
	}
	return *totalLetters;

}

I keep getting some weird numbers such as 66732 when it prints and obviously i am only putting in a 4-5 letter word.
What i am trying to do is everytime i run a word through this calcSize() function, to count the totalLetters of that word and return the totalLetters, but next time I call the function I want totalLetters to still hold the new value. So if i had 2 words: Hello world, at the end of the 2 calls , totalLetters should return 10.

Im just starting to use pointers so i suspect the problem is related to them.
Thanks
PS. title should probably be Call by reference.

Originally Posted by gp364481

Im just starting to use pointers so i suspect the problem is related to them.

In fact it's pass by reference, so your title is correct. Also your problem is not related to pointers. You never initialise TotalLetters, so you are not guaranteed any particular value. Your function then just increments the total. So if you already have 6538 in there, you'll get 6538+5 for a five letter word. Add a = 0; to your declaration and it should work just fine.

QuantumPete

Code:

char words[MAX_SIZE];
int totalLetters = 0;

printf("%d\n", calcSize(words, &totalLetters));

int calcSize(char words[], int *totalLetters)
{
	int sum = 0;
	int i =0;
	while(words[i] != '\0') {
		for (i =0; words[i] ; i++) {
			 (*totalLetters)++;
		}
	}
	return (*totalLetters);

}

ok this is my updated code. it seems to be working