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Calling The C Function

The document discusses C language functions. It covers: 1. The parts of a function definition including return type, function name, parameters, and function body. Parameters can be formal or actual. 2. The two ways functions can be called: call by value where the value is passed, and call by reference where the address is passed. 3. An example of each - call by value does not modify the original variables, while call by reference can since it passes the addresses.

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29 views

Calling The C Function

The document discusses C language functions. It covers: 1. The parts of a function definition including return type, function name, parameters, and function body. Parameters can be formal or actual. 2. The two ways functions can be called: call by value where the value is passed, and call by reference where the address is passed. 3. An example of each - call by value does not modify the original variables, while call by reference can since it passes the addresses.

Uploaded by

Saif
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Programming Fundamentals [C Language] by: SHAH NAWAZ,UoG,Lahore

Calling the C function

Topics Covered: Function that return a value, Parameters and use of arguments to pass data to a
function, Formal/ Actual parameters, Passing values between functions, Formal/ Actual
parameters

Function definition
A function definition in C programming consists of following parts–

syntax

return_type function_name( parameter list );

 Return Type − A function may return a value. The return_type is the data


type of the value the function returns. Some functions perform the desired
operations without returning a value. In this case, the return_type is the
keyword void.
 Function Name − This is the actual name of the function. The function
name and the parameter list together constitute the function signature.
 Parameters − parameters are variables defined in the function definition
which receive values passed from function call. When a function is
called/invoked, you also pass a value or set of values to the parameter. A
function may contain one, many or no parameters. The parameter list refers
to the type, order, and number of the parameters of a function. Parameters
are optional. Following are two types of parametres:
o Actual parameters are parameters which appear in function calls.

o Formal parameters are parameters which appear in function


declarations.
 Function Body − The function body contains a collection of statements that
define what the function does.

Function Name

Return Type int myfunction ( int a, int b ) Formal


{ Parameters
----
----
Function body ----
}
Programming Fundamentals [C Language] by: SHAH NAWAZ,UoG,Lahore

Call by Reference and Call by Value

There are two ways that a C function can be called from a program. They are
1. Call by value
2. Call by reference

1. Call by value:
 In call by value method, the value of the variable is passed to the
function as parameter.
 The value of the actual parameter can not be modified by formal
parameter.
 Different Memory is allocated for both actual and formal parameters.
Because, value of actual parameter is copied to formal parameter.

Example
#include<stdio.h>
void swap(int a, int b);
int main()
{
int m = 22, n = 44;
printf(" values before swap m = %d \nand n = %d", m, n);
swap(m, n);
}

void swap(int a, int b)


{
int tmp;
tmp = a;
a = b;
b = tmp;
printf(" \nvalues after swap m = %d\n and n = %d", a, b);
}

Output:
values before swap m = 22
and n = 44
values after swap m = 44
and n = 22
Programming Fundamentals [C Language] by: SHAH NAWAZ,UoG,Lahore

2. Call by reference:
 In call by reference method, the address of the variable is passed to
the function as parameter.
 The value of the actual parameter can be modified by formal
parameter.
 Same memory is used for both actual and formal parameters since
only address is used by both parameters.

Example
#include<stdio.h>
void swap(int *a, int *b);

int main()
{
int m = 22, n = 44;
printf("values before swap m = %d \n and n = %d",m,n);
swap(&m, &n);
}

void swap(int *a, int *b)


{
int tmp;
tmp = *a;
*a = *b;
*b = tmp;
printf("\n values after swap a = %d \nand b = %d", *a, *b);
}

Output:
values before swap m = 22 
and n = 44
values after swap a = 44
and b = 22
Programming Fundamentals [C Language] by: SHAH NAWAZ,UoG,Lahore
Programming Fundamentals [C Language] by: SHAH NAWAZ,UoG,Lahore

Example
#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

int myfunction(int, int)


void main()
{
clrscr();
int val1 = 100;
int val2 = 200;
int answer;
ret= myfunction(a,b);
printf(“Answer of calculation is =%d”, &answer);

}
int myfunction(int a, int b)
{
int c;
c=a+b;
return c;
}

Output:

Answer of calculation is = 300

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