Thread: What do these stand for?

Every example program in my book includes these parameters of main, could you tell me what they stand for?
(I understand 'int, main, and char')

int main(int argc, char* argv[])

arg= argument?

So whats the 'c' and the 'v' after arg?

The '*' and the '[]' are in the appendix in the back of my book, but I don't understand their uses here.

Also what does the 'c' in cout stand for? The c'out' stands for 'output' right? I like to understand every part of the program, it's easier for me to learn so that's the reason I would like to know.

Thank you for your time.

arguement
argument count
pointer to array of argument variables[]
console out

Those are used for command line arguments (which are extra stuff you type on the command line to give more information to your program). If you don't use command line arguments, it is perfectly acceptable and somewhat more readable to skip that part:

Code:

int main()
{
}

When you do learn about command line arguments, you can use the other way and it will make more sense. Basically, the first thing, argc, is the number of arguments, and the second thing is an array of C style strings constaining the actual arguments.

Originally Posted by misplaced

arguement
argument count
pointer to array of argument variables[]
console out

I do believe (i might be wrong) that argv is argument vaules not variables as they could easily be placed into read only memory.

Originally Posted by paper-pant

arg= argument?

So whats the 'c' and the 'v' after arg?

The '*' and the '[]' are in the appendix in the back of my book, but I don't understand their uses here.

Also what does the 'c' in cout stand for? The c'out' stands for 'output' right? I like to understand every part of the program, it's easier for me to learn so that's the reason I would like to know.

The name of a variable is completly independent from it's use, although they can be associated. argc is just a name for a variable that holds a integer. argv is in this case an array of char pointers
You could have

Code:

int main(int numberofargumentstheusertyped, char *argumentstheusertyped[]);

Both those name would be perfectly aceptable. What's important is what they hold.
So cout is just a name of another variable, or object, that outputs text.
The '*' and '[]' seem to be a bit more advanced than what you know...

>arg= argument?
>So whats the 'c' and the 'v' after arg?
argc == argument count
argv == argument vector

In theory you may name the arguments whatever you like, argc and argv are merely common names and thus convenient. In practice, everyone expects argc and argv, so using different names may not be wise.