Which functions come first?

I just realized that if you have a function which calls another funtion, the one it calls must be written in the code prior to the calling function so that the compiler knows what you're looking for.

Why is that? What if it gets to be a mess of arranging functions in a proper order, or what if it's impossible?

Is there some better way of handling this?

Write function declarations at the top (or in a header file):

int function( int, float );

then later in the file write the definitions (or in a separate file):

int function( int foo, float bar )
{
/* function code */
}

This way is doesn't matter what order the functions are defined in.

I had just read that in the tutorial after I posted the question. Thanks anyhow, I guess it's called Prototyping :)

I've got all my functions done that way now, I suppose it's a good habbit.

I'll admit I still forget to prototype lots of stuff sometimes :)

The reason you need to prototype or declare functions before you use them is because the compiler needs to know what a function is before you can use it. You would think by now you wouldn't need to do this. Look at JAVA.

Try switching from JavaScript to C++! You don't prototype in JS, so when i made the switch I pulled my hair out at all these c++ cause I thought they were all wrong! *bonks self* Now JavaScript looks funny to me. No semi-colons? WTF

I was the same way... before C++ I was heavily into JavaScript, which is why I still forget sometimes to prototype :)

prototyping is a result of C++'s type-checking and function overloading

heh i guess i'm going in the opposite direction than you guys i started with c and now i'm trying to learn java (applets and applications), but i havn't tried javascript so i dont know if its the same.

I started with a little javascript then java then I moved on to C++ and next came PERL. I dunno why but fer sum reason I can't just learn one thing at a time. Oh well I guess I mostly program C++ though

>>
Why is that? What if it gets to be a mess of arranging functions in a proper order, or what if it's impossible?
>>Is there some better way of handling this?

Oh yes, most definatly. Much better than prototypes: Take advantage of C++ and use Classes. You'll never regret it.

I do love classes. I learned Javascript, then basic, then JAVA, then i learned C. When i got a C book i almost screamed because i wanted to make classes, not wimpy structs. Then i got C++ into my brain, and classes dominate 2/3 of my header files. YES!