The purpose of NULL pointer?

**Meerul264** · 12-28-2012

1. Write a function that prompts the user to enter his or her first name and last name, as two separate
values. This function should return both values to the caller via additional pointer (or reference)
parameters that are passed to the function. Try doing this first with pointers and then with references.
(Hint: the function signature will look similar to the swap function from earlier!)

3. Modify the program you wrote for exercise 1 so that instead of always prompting the user for a last
name, it does so only if the caller passes in a
NULL pointer for the last name.

My answer for question 1:

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>


using namespace std;


void get_name(string *first_name, string *last_name)
{
    std::cout << "First name: ";
    std::getline(cin,*first_name);
    std::cout <<endl;
    std::cout << "Last name: ";
    std::getline(cin,*last_name);
    std::cout << endl;
  
}
int main()
{
    string first_name, last_name;
    get_name(&first_name,&last_name);


    std::cout << "Hello " << first_name << " " << last_name << endl;


    return 0;
}

I'm not really sure what the question want me to do, or what is the purpose in it.

**laserlight** · 12-28-2012

The idea is that if the caller passes in a null pointer, you don't prompt for the last name (and of course you don't read in a last name). Thus, the last name parameter becomes optional.

Note that you cannot do this for reference parameters because a null reference is illegal.

**Meerul264** · 12-28-2012

" it does so only if the caller passes in a
NULL pointer for the last name."

kind of contradicts with "if the caller passes in a null pointer, you don't prompt for the last name".

Sorry if I read the question wrong or anything. But from what I've read, it says that to prompt the user for last name only if the caller passes in NULL pointer for the last name.

Do I need to initialize the last_name to NULL, and then make an if statement?

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>


using namespace std;


void get_name(string *first_name, string *last_name)
{
    last_name = 0;


    std::cout << "First name: ";
    std::getline(cin,*first_name);
    std::cout <<endl;
    if( last_name == 0)
    {
        std::cout << "Last name: ";
        std::getline(cin,*last_name);
        std::cout << endl;
    }
}
int main()
{
    string first_name, last_name;
    get_name(&first_name,&last_name);


    std::cout << "Hello " << first_name << " " << last_name << endl;


    return 0;
}

**laserlight** · 12-28-2012

Originally Posted by Meerul264

" it does so only if the caller passes in a
NULL pointer for the last name."

kind of contradicts with "if the caller passes in a null pointer, you don't prompt for the last name".

Sorry if I read the question wrong or anything. But from what I've read, it says that to prompt the user for last name only if the caller passes in NULL pointer for the last name.

Oh sorry, I misread that. You are right: your question 2 states that if the caller passes a null pointer for the last name, then you should prompt for a last name, and hence presumably read it in.

Unfortunately, that presents a problem: if you only have a null pointer, then you have no place to store the input read. You could use dynamic memory allocation, but then the last name parameter should be a reference to a pointer, not just a pointer, and then the caller would become responsible for using delete. That would be unnecessary complication.

I suspect that your teacher made a mistake in the setting the question, so perhaps you should consult him/her about it.

**rogster001** · 12-28-2012

this is a ridicolously constructed question by the tutor, badly phrased may be more accurate, it must be very confusing for the students

**grumpy** · 12-28-2012

Originally Posted by rogster001

this is a ridicolously constructed question by the tutor, badly phrased may be more accurate, it must be very confusing for the students

Try working with real requirements from customers or stakeholders, and you will understand that poorly or ambiguously written requirements are the norm. It is the job of a professional developer to clarify such requirements in order to be able to produce a working solution.

**iMalc** · 12-28-2012

Originally Posted by grumpy

Try working with real requirements from customers or stakeholders, and you will understand that poorly or ambiguously written requirements are the norm. It is the job of a professional developer to clarify such requirements in order to be able to produce a working solution.

Don't I know it. Sometimes the requirements for an entire project can be just a one-liner.

**grumpy** · 12-28-2012

Originally Posted by laserlight

Unfortunately, that presents a problem: if you only have a null pointer, then you have no place to store the input read. You could use dynamic memory allocation, but then the last name parameter should be a reference to a pointer, not just a pointer, and then the caller would become responsible for using delete. That would be unnecessary complication.

I suspect that your teacher made a mistake in the setting the question, so perhaps you should consult him/her about it.

An alternative would be for the function to return a string. If the last argument is NULL, read a (local) std::string, and return it.

I do agree it is a flawed requirement.

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