Struct passing to and from functions!

[sebpinski]

Hello all,
sorry if this question seems stupid, I've just started using C and I'm far more used to the syntax of Matlab. I'd like to have a set of functions that perform operations on struct's that contain two elements and then return a struct that also contains two elements.

Here is the code but I'm receiving multiple errors and don't really know when to start debugging even though the code is very short.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <string.h>

typedef struct { int real; int imag;} int_type;

int main()
{

int_type f, g, y, a, b, c;

  f.real=4;
  f.imag=7;
  g.real=21;
  g.imag=77;

  y=int_add(f,g);

  //  printf("%d and %d", y[1], y[2]);

  getchar();
  return 0;
}

int_type int_add(a, b)
{
  struct int_type c;

  c.real = a.real + b.real;
  c.imag = a.imag + b.imag;

  return c;
}

Thanks for any help in advance.

Seb

[tabstop]

You have to know about a function before you can call it. This is why function prototypes were invented -- you should have the line

int_type int_add(int_type a, int_type b);

before your main function, so that main knows that such a function exists. Also note that you must tell the compiler what kind of things the function parameters are.

[MK27]

In addition to tabstop's observation, and implicit point that you need to indicate what a and b are in your function prologue, you need to use pointers when you are passing structs:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <string.h>

typedef struct { int real; int imag;} int_type;

int_type int_add(int_type *a, int_type *b);    

int main()
{

int_type f, g, y, a, b, c;

  f.real=4;
  f.imag=7;
  g.real=21;
  g.imag=77;

  y=int_add(&f,&g);

  //  printf("%d and %d", y[1], y[2]);

  getchar();
  return 0;
}

int_type int_add(int_type *a, int_type *b)    
{
  int_type c;

  c.real = a->real + b->real;
  c.imag = a->imag + b->imag;

  return c;
}

[tabstop]

In addition to tabstop's observation, and implicit point that you need to indicate what a and b are in your function prologue, you need to use pointers when you are passing structs:

WTH are you talking about? Of course you don't need to use pointers when passing structs.

[MK27]

WTH are you talking about? Of course you don't need to use pointers when passing structs.

Oh yeah, look at that

Well, maybe it's just me then. I guess all the OP had to do was add the prototype.

[sebpinski]

The whole reason I wish to use struct's is to get away from the use of pointers. I just don't understand why C doesn't allow a function to output more than a single data type from a function as standard.

[MK27]

The whole reason I wish to use struct's is to get away from the use of pointers. I just don't understand why C doesn't allow a function to output more than a single data type from a function as standard.

I am very sorry and you will know how to take my advice in the future.

Up until a few minutes ago I would have sympathized.

ps. pointers are great tho, you shouldn't be trying to get away from them!

[sebpinski]

There was no problem with your advice, it was definitely welcome. I was just expressing my gripes with the whole of C. No offense intended...

Still having problems, there appears to be an issue with the function itself now, the only error I'm receiving states:

error: incomplete type is not allowed
struct int_type c

[matsp]

The whole reason I wish to use struct's is to get away from the use of pointers. I just don't understand why C doesn't allow a function to output more than a single data type from a function as standard.

As far as I know, there are only a few languages that DO support returning more than one value: PHP, Perl and Python. All of which are interpretative rather than compiled languages.

Just bear in mind that NOT using pointers when returning a struct means that the struct is copied both when passing it into the function, when you do the return statement (copy from the temporary variable to the return location specified by the calling function [1]) and when the fucntion returns from the temporary location to the result variable.

[1] Returning structs [at least if they are larger than what can be put into register(s) by the normal calling conventions is done essentially as this:
original code:

int_type int_add(int_type a, int_type b) 
{
  int_type c;
...
   return c;
}

will be done somewhat like this:
void int_add(int_type a, int_type b, int_type *temp)
{
int_type c;
...
// return c;
memcpy(temp, &c, sizeof(c));
}
[/code]

--
Mats

[sebpinski]

doesn't matter, just needed to remove the 'struct' from the function text.

[MK27]

There was no problem with your advice, it was definitely welcome. I was just expressing my gripes with the whole of C. No offense intended...

We could throw bottles at that train together, but to be fair I would feel like an abusive lover afterwards.

And -- to make sure we're on the same page and that you didn't read just the last post instead of the last N posts -- I was wrong. You can pass a whole struct.

But like matsp says, using pointers is kind of advantageous. The syntax may be frustrating if you're coming from something like perl and didn't make much use of references

[MeTh0Dz]

The whole reason I wish to use struct's is to get away from the use of pointers. I just don't understand why C doesn't allow a function to output more than a single data type from a function as standard.

You should probably just quit C now.