COMPUTER SCIENCE

12
(MS Access and C)

CHAPTER 13: Functions in C

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 Topics
• Function
• Types of Functions
• Function Declaration
• Function Definition
• Difference between Function declaration and Definition
• Function Call
• Passing Parameters to Functions
• Difference between Formal and Actual Parameters
• Returning Value from Function
• Local Variable
• Global Variable
• Difference between Local and Global Variable
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 Topics(continued)
• Functions without Arguments
• Functions that Return a Value and Accept Arguments

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  A function is named block of code that performs a specific task or action
 Functions are like building blocks
 A program may contain many functions
 Each function has a unique name
 The statements written in a function are executed when it is called by its name
possible to perform mathematical operation on character values
 Functions provide structured programming approach
 Breaking a large program into smaller pieces or modules
 Modules in C are called functions
 Pieces are more manageable than one large program
 Pieces can be independently implemented and tested

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  Easier to Code
 Easier to Modify
 Easier to Maintain & Debug
 Reusability
possible to perform mathematical operation on character values
 Less Programming Time

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 User-defined Function
 Function written by the programmer
 User-defined function has a unique name
 A program may contain many user-defined functions
possible to perform mathematical operation on character values
 These functions are written according to the exact need of the user

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 Built-in or Predefined Functions
• Available as a part of language.
• Also known as Library functions.
Remember!
• These functions are ready-made programs. puts() , gets() , printf() ,
scanf() etc are standard
• Make programming faster and easier. library functions

• These functions are defined in different header files.

• printf() and scanf()
possible to perform
functions mathematical
are defined in stdio.hoperation on character values
• getch(), getche(), and clrscr() functions are defined in in conio.h
• The sqrt() function is defined in the math.h header file.
• C provides many built-in functions to perform mathematical calculations, input /output and many other useful
operations.
• printf() is used to send formatted output to the screen (display output on the screen).
• The sqrt() function calculates the square root of a number.

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 Function Declaration or Function Prototype
• Function declaration or Function prototype is a model of a function.
• It provides information to the compiler about the structure of the function to be used in program.
• The compiler must know the following about a function before it is called:
• Name - the name of the function. Function names follow same rules as variable names
possible
• Return type – data type oftothe
perform
value mathematical operation
the function returns onpart
to the character values that called it
of the program
• Parameters- Values that are provided to a function when the function is called.
• Function prototype usually placed at the beginning of source file just before the main() function.

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 Syntax
Remember!
Return-type Function-name (parameters); Forgetting the semicolon
at the end of function
The parameters are given in two ways: prototype is a syntax
error
• Only data types of the parameters are written in prototype as follows:
int add(int, int);
• Both data types and names of parameters are written in prototype as follows:
Remember!
int add(int a, int b); possible to perform mathematical operation on character values
Specifying a function
parameters of the same
Examples type as double a, b instead
of double a, double b
results in a compilation
error

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 possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 Function definition
A set of statements that explains what a function does is called function definition.
The function definition can be written at the following places: Remember!
• Before main() function Placing a semicolon after
right parenthesis
• After main() function enclosing the parameter
• In a separate file list of function definition
is a syntax error
The function definition consists of two parts:
1. Function Header possible to perform mathematical operationSyntax
on character values
• The first line of function definition is known as function header.
• It is similar to function prototype
• The only difference is that it is not terminated with semicolon.
• The number of parameters and sequence parameters in function header
and function prototype must be same.
2. Function Body
• The set of statements which are executed inside the function is known as function body.
• The body of function appears after function declaration and the statements are written in curly braces { }

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 Difference between Function Definition & Declaration

possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 Function Call
 The statement that activates a function is known as function call.
 To call a function, use the function name followed by () and ;
fun();
 The following steps take place when a function is called:
• The control moves to the function that is called
possible to perform mathematical operation on character values
• All statements in the function body are executed
• The control returns back to the calling function
 When the control returns back to the calling function,
the remaining statements in the calling function are executed
 main is automatically called when the program starts
 main can call any number of functions
 Functions can call other function

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 possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 • Parameters are the values that are provided to a function when the function is called.
• Parameters are given in the parentheses
• If there are many parameters, these are separated by commas. If there is no parameter, empty parentheses
are used
possible
• The sequence and types to perform mathematical
of parameters in function operation
call muston
becharacter values
similar to the sequence and types of
parameters in function declaration
• Parameters in function call are called actual parameters
• Parameters in function declaration are called formal parameters
• The number of actually parameter must be same as number of formal parameters.
• The values of actual parameters are copied to formal parameters when a function call is executed

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 Example

possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 Difference between Formal & Actual Parameters

possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 • A function can return a single value.
• The return type in function declaration indicates the type of value returned by a function
e.g. int is used as return type if the function returns integer value
• If the function returns no value, the keyword void is used as return type
• The keyword return ispossible to perform
used to return mathematical
the value operation
back to the on character values
calling function
• When the return statement is executed in a function, the controls moves back to the calling function along
with the returned value
Syntax
The syntax for returning a value is as follows:
return expression;

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 • The calling function can use the returned value in the following ways:
• Assignment statement
• Arithmetic expression
• Output statement

1. Assignment Statement

possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 2. Arithmetic Expression

possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

3. Output Statement

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 possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 • A variable declared inside a function
• Local variables are also called automatic variables
Syntax
auto data_type identifier;
auto It is a keyword that indicates that the variable is automatic. The use of auto is optional.
possible to perform mathematical operation on character values
data_type It indicates the data type of variable
identifier It indicates the name of variable
Scope of Local Variable
• The area where a variable can be accessed is known as scope of variable
• Local variable can be used only in the function in which it is declared
• If a statement accesses a local variable that is not in scope, the compiler generates a syntax error

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 Lifetime of Local Variable
• The time period for which a variable exists in the memory
• The lifetime of local variable starts when the control enters the function in which it is declared
• Local variable is automatically destroyed when the control exits from the function and its lifetime ends
possible to perform mathematical operation on character values
• When the lifetime of a local variable ends, the value stored in this variable also becomes inaccessible

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 • A variable declared outside any function
• Global variables can be used by all functions in the program
• The values of these variables are shared among different functions
• If one function changes the value of a global variable, this change is also available to other functions
Scope of Global Variable
• Global variable can bepossible
used by to
allperform
functions in the program
mathematical operation on character values
• It means that these variables are globally accessed from any part of the program
• Normally, global variables are declared before main function
Lifetime of Global Variable
• Global variables exist in the memory as long as the program is running
• These variables are destroyed from the memory when the program terminates
• These variables occupy memory longer than local variables

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 possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 • The simplest type of function is a function that accepts no argument and returns no value
• The return type of such function is void
• The parameter list may be empty or the keyword void can be written in the parenthesis
• The keyword void instead of parameter list indicates that the function accepts no argument when it is executed
Example
possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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 • A function may require certain values to calculate the result
• The required values are passed to the function as arguments
• The arguments are written in parenthesis
• Each argument is separated by semicolon
• The function can process the arguments
possible to perform and
mathematical operation on character values
return the result back to main function.
• A function can only return single value.
• The keyword return is used to return a value.

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 Example

possible to perform mathematical operation on character values

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