pointer notation convention

[javaguy1]

consider the function header

void myFunction(int *count)

i prefer

void myFunction(int* count)

the book i am using does it the first way. i like the second way because then my variable name looks like other variable names. * is a part of the type not the name. which way is most common?

 

[palbano]

probably the first since that is the way it is taught also if you declare multiple variables in a statement you have to do it anyway.

int *pint1, *pint2, *pint3;

The compiler doesn't care so do it how you want. I frequently use the other format myself

int* pint;

of course white space is irrelevant so

int * pint;




-pete

 

[dlkfjdlkfjdlfkd]

I use

int *pint;

Only because this has become the de facto convention. Neither one is inherently better.

 

[chipperMDW]

I use int* pint because it emphasizes the fact that the pointer is part of the type.

I read somewhere (a reputable source, even) that this style was "used almost universally among C++ programmers." I somehow doubt that, but I still think a C++ programmer is more likely to stick the star on the type name than a C programmer is, since C++ emphasizes type more than value, and C is the other way around.

One problem with int* pint is the following:

int* a, b;

Logically, since the type is int*, a and b should both be int*s. Unfortunately, that's not the case. That's an argument to stick the star onto the variable name. I just avoid declaring more than one variable at a time and keep away from this problem altogether.

 

[javaguy1]

i do the same thing. one variable per line. it is good to know what happens though.

 

[denisfinn]

ok...sharing time is over children :