Thread: what is int()?

hey all, just reading some code I got off of planet-source-code, and ran into this statement:

Code:

b = int(a);  // store the ASCII value of a into b as an int value

what is int(a)? is it a malformed cast or is it a function? the writer says he compiled it in Borland C++, and I know Borland Delphi has cast-like functions like StrToInt and IntToStr, hence the reason why I am asking if it is a function (I've never seen a cast written like that). I went looking through the entire source for it, and if it is a function, or even a macro-function, its not declared in any of his code.

however I would think of it as a malformed cast, better written as:

Code:

b = (int)a;

b is a char, and a is a char by the way. would the above cast not assign the ASCII value of a to b?

as always, your help is greatly appreciated.


thank you in advance.