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C++ Programming

Functions
Ch 6: Gaddis, Starting Out with C++ Early Objects 8th ed

Lab five
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 Modular Programming
• Modular programming: breaking a program up
into smaller, manageable functions or modules.
Supports the divide-and-conquer approach to
solving a problem.

• Function: a collection of statements to perform

a specific task

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 Modular Programming

• Motivation for modular programming

– Simplifies the process of writing programs

– Improves maintainability of programs

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 Defining and Calling Functions

• Function definition: a statements that

make up a function

• Function call: a statement that causes a

function to execute

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 Function Definition
• Definition includes:
name: name of the function. Function names follow
same rules as variable names
parameter list: variables that hold the values passed
to the function
body: statements that perform the function’s task
return type: data type of the value the function
returns to the part of the program that called it

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 Function Definition (example 1)

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 Function Definition (example 2)

double cube( double a){

double b = a * a* a;
return b;
}

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 Function Header
• Function header consists of
– the function return type
– the function name
– the function parameter list

• Example:
int main()

• Note: no ; at the end of the header

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 Function Return Type
• If a function returns a value, the type of the
value must be indicated
int main()

• If a function does not return a value, its return

type is void
void printHeading()
{
cout << "\tMonthly Sales\n";
}
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 Calling a Function
• To call a function, use the function name
followed by () and ;
Example: printHeading();

• When a function is called, the program executes

the body of the function.

• After the function terminates, execution resumes

in the calling module at the point of call
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 Calling a Function (cont.)
• main is automatically called when the
program starts

• main can call any number of functions

• Functions can call other functions

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 Function Prototypes
The compiler must know the following about
a function before it is called
– name
– return type
– number of parameters
– data type of each parameter

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 Function Prototypes (cont.)
Ways to notify the compiler about a function before
a call to the function:
1. Place function definition before calling function’s
definition
2. Use a function prototype (similar to the heading ) of
the function
• Heading: void printHeading()
• Prototype: void printHeading();
– Function prototype is also called a function declaration

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 Function Prototype Notes
• Place prototypes near top of program.

• Program must include either prototype or full

function definition before any call to the
function, otherwise a compiler error occurs.

• When using prototypes, function definitions can

be placed in any order in the source file.
Traditionally, main is placed first.

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 Sending Data into a Function
• Can pass values into a function at time of call
c = sqrt(a*a + b*b);

• Values passed to function are arguments

• Variables in function that hold values passed as

arguments are parameters

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 Parameters, Prototypes,
& Function Headings
• For each function argument,
– the prototype must include the data type of each parameter in its
()
Example: void evenOrOdd(int); //prototype
– the heading must include a declaration, with variable type and
name, for each parameter in its ()
Example: void evenOrOdd(int num); //heading
The function call for the above function would look like this:
evenOrOdd(val); //call

Note: no data type on argument in call

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 Calling Functions with Multiple
Arguments
When calling a function with multiple arguments
– the number of arguments in the call must match the
function prototype and definition

– the first argument will be copied into the first

parameter, the second argument into the second
parameter, etc.

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 Calling Functions with
Multiple Arguments Illustration

displayData(height, weight); // call

void displayData(int h, int w)// heading

{
cout << "Height = " << h << endl;
cout << "Weight = " << w << endl;
}

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 Passing Data by Value

• Pass by value: when an argument is passed to

a function, a copy of its value is placed in the
parameter
• The function cannot access the original
argument
• Changes to the parameter in the function do
not affect the value of the argument in the
calling function

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 Passing Data by Value (Example)

• Example: int val = 5;

evenOrOdd(val);

val num
5 5
argument in parameter in
calling function evenOrOdd function

• evenOrOdd function can change variable num,

but it will not have effect on variable val.
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 Passing Data by Reference
• Mechanism that allows a function to work
with the original argument from the function
call, not a copy of the argument
• Allows the function to modify values stored in
the calling environment
• Provides a way for the function to ‘return’
more than 1 value

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 Reference Variables
• A reference variable is an alias for another
variable
• It is defined with an ampersand (&) in the
prototype and in the header
void getDimensions(int&, int&);
• Changes to a reference variable are made to
the variable it refers to
• Use reference variables to implement
passing parameters by reference
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 Pass by Reference Example
void squareIt(int &); //prototype

void squareIt(int &num) //definition

{
num *= num;
}

int localVar = 5;
squareIt(localVar); // Call

// localVar now contains 25

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 Reference Variable Notes
• Each reference parameter must contain &
• Argument passed to reference parameter must be a
variable. It cannot be an expression or a constant.
• Use only when appropriate, such as when the
function must input or change the value of the
argument passed to it
• Files (i.e., file stream objects) should be passed by
reference

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 The return Statement
• Used to end execution of a function
• Can be placed anywhere in a function
– Statements that follow the return statement
will not be executed
• Can be used to prevent abnormal termination
of program
• Without a return statement, the function
ends at its last }
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 Returning a Value from a Function
• return statement can be used to return a value
from the function to the module that made the
function call
• Prototype and definition must indicate data type
of return value (not void)
• Calling function can use the return value, e.g.,
– assign it to a variable
– send it to cout
– use it in expression
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 Returning a Value
the return Statement

• Format: return expression;

• expression may be a variable, a literal

value, or an expression.

• expression should be of the same data

type as the declared return type of the function
(will be converted if not)
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 Boolean return Example
• Function can return true or false
bool isValid(int); // prototype

bool isValid(int val) // heading

{ int min = 0, max = 100;
if (val >= min && val <= max)
return true;
else
return false; }

if(isValid(score)) // function call

…
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 Local Variable Lifetime

• A local variable only exists while its

defining function is executing

• Local variables are destroyed when the

function terminates

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 Local and Global Variables

• global variable: a variable defined outside

all functions; it is accessible to all functions
within its scope
• Easy way to share large amounts of data
between functions
• Scope of a global variable is from its point
of definition to the program end

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 Static Local Variables
• Local variables
– Only exist while the function is executing
– Are redefined each time function is called
– Lose their contents when function terminates
• static local variables
– Are defined with key word static
static int counter;
– Are defined and initialized only the first time the
function is executed
– Retain their contents between function calls
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 Default Arguments
• Values passed automatically if arguments are
missing from the function call
• Must be a constant declared in prototype or
header (whichever occurs first)
void evenOrOdd(int a = 0);
• Calling the function:
• evenOrOdd();
• evenOrOdd(3);

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 Default Arguments (cont.)
• Multi-parameter functions may have default
arguments for some or all parameters
int getSum(int, int=0, int=0);

• If not all parameters to a function have default

values, the ones without defaults must be
declared first in the parameter list
int getSum(int, int=0, int=0);// OK
int getSum(int, int=0, int); // wrong!

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 Default Arguments (cont.)

• When an argument is omitted from a function

call, all arguments after it must also be omitted
sum = getSum(num1, num2); // OK

sum = getSum(num1, , num3); // wrong!

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 Exercise 1
Write a simple program that can use
function to find the biggest number
among two numbers.

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 Overloading Functions

• Overloaded functions are two or more

functions that have the same name, but different
parameter lists
• Can be used to create functions that perform the
same task, but take different parameter types or
different number of parameters
• Compiler will determine which version of the
function to call by the argument and parameter
list
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 Overloaded Functions Example
If a program has these overloaded functions,
void getDimensions(int); // 1
void getDimensions(int, int); // 2
void getDimensions(int, float); // 3
void getDimensions(double, double);// 4

then the compiler will use them as follows:

int length, width;
double base, height;
getDimensions(length); // 1
getDimensions(length, width); // 2
getDimensions(length, height); // 3
getDimensions(height, base); // 4

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 The exit() Function

• Terminates execution of a program

• Can be called from any function
• Can pass a value to operating system to indicate
status of program execution
• Usually used for abnormal termination of
program
• Requires cstdlib header file
• Use with care
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 Exercise 2

Modify Exercise 1, with an overloaded

function such that it will be able to take
two or three numbers.

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 Exercise 3
Modify the program such that it will be able
to take up to ten(10) numbers, and return the
largest among the them. (Hint: use array)

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