Thread: Overloading Functions. I keep getting junk.

I have a very simple function using overloading function. It's just supposed to send an array to a function, and the function prints out that array "size" times. It's printing it out the correct number of times, but it keeps printing junk. WHat's wrong?

This is what I have so far.

Code:

#include<iostream>
#include<cstdlib>
using namespace std;

void print(const int data[], int size = 10)                        //int version
{
     for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)
             cout << "Triple int version: " << data << endl;
}
 
void print(const float data[], int size = 10)                          //float version
{
     for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)                                                //loop 'size' times
             cout << "Triple float version: " << data << endl;     //prints the triples-array
}

void print(const char data[], int size = 10)                           //char version
{
     for(int i = 0; i < size; i++)                                                 //loop 'size' times
             cout << "Triple char version: " << data << endl;      //prints the triples-array
}

int main()
{
    void print(const int data[], int size = 10);                    //prototype for int
    void print(const float data[], int size = 10);                  //prototype for float
    void print(const char data[], int size = 10);                   //prototype for char
    
    //generic arrays specific to their respective types
         int array_int[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
         float array_float[5] = {1.123, 2.234, 3.345, 4.456, 5.567};
         char array_char[5] = {6, 7, 8, 9, 10};
         
         print(array_int);                                                   //Send with int-specific function
         print(array_float, 5);                                              //Send to float-specific function
         print(array_char, 1);                                                  //Send to char-specific function
         
         system("pause");
}

The function needs to have size as default...it's part of the homework >_<...sorry I didn't mention that.

And it's consistently still printing the same junk...0x22ff50 for int, 0x22ff30 for float and a bunch of wierd characters for char.

My critique of your work:

* Your prototypes are okay ones, I'd just be careful what you pass to them. You used the int version in this context:

Code:

    void print(const int data[], int size = 10);                    //prototype for int
    void print(const float data[], int size = 10);                  //prototype for float
    void print(const char data[], int size = 10);                   //prototype for char
    
    //generic arrays specific to their respective types
         int array_int[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
         // ...
         print(array_int);

Which isn't necessarily correct because array_int doesn't have ten items, like your function assumed if it receives just one argument.

* Prototypes are for the compiler's benefit (well it also functions as a short reference). You place the prototypes before function definitions in the source code so that the compiler can enforce type safety and make sure you're calling your functions with a correct argument count. You shouldn't write a prototype in a function like main because I can't really see a use for it there. If the function is already written before it's called, then the compiler knows its arguments and how to enforce type safety.

* You do something like this a lot:

cout << "Triple int version: " << data << endl;

THis prints a pointer address. That's the "junk" you see. But if I understand you correctly, you should just need to print the size variable enough times.

Ahhh I see. It's printing addresses instead of values. How do I make it print the values in the array?

Originally Posted by Elysia

You know how to use arrays? I don't just mean creating them but also accessing the data inside them.

No.

This is the second program I've ever written and the little I know about arrays I learned from googling it. I understand now that it's treating the values as addresses that hold values...how do I make it print out the literal values in the array?

Oh I see. Every time I looped I was just printing the same pointer over and over again. I put an [i] after the data and it printed what was in the array. Duh! Thanks for the help.

Crap. One more problem. On the array with char, it's printing out characters (like smiley faces and stuff). Is it possible to have an array with values like

Code:

{a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j}

? I tried and it was treating the letters as variables and kept telling me their undeclared variables...

Also, tell your teacher that giving a size argument a default value is a very bad idea.