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For 2023 (and 2024 ...) - we are now fully retired from IT training.
We have made many, many friends over 25 years of teaching about Python, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Lua, Java, C and C++ - and MySQL, Linux and Solaris/SunOS too. Our training notes are now very much out of date, but due to upward compatability most of our examples remain operational and even relevant ad you are welcome to make us if them "as seen" and at your own risk.

Lisa and I (Graham) now live in what was our training centre in Melksham - happy to meet with former delegates here - but do check ahead before coming round. We are far from inactive - rather, enjoying the times that we are retired but still healthy enough in mind and body to be active!

I am also active in many other area and still look after a lot of web sites - you can find an index ((here))
How to return 2 values from a function (C++ and C) - more uses of pointers

A further example (following previous article [here]) of where pointers are particularly useful is where you want to return nore than one resulting value from a function ... in C, that's something you couldn't really do without them.

There are two ways:

a) A function returns a single value ... but you can make that return value a pointer, so that you can reurn a whole array or structure of values and

b) You can pass in a pointer to your function, so that the value(s) at the address passed in and at subsequent memory addresses can be modified withn the function, thus forming a second return.

Let's see an example of where you might wish to do this, written as a practical demonstration on last week's run of our public C programming course.

I have £150.00 which I want to spend on the hire of a forklift truck for as long as possible. Hire costs £22.00 per month, £10.00 per week and £3.50 per day ... how long can I have the forklift truck for?

code:

  float bank = 150.00;
  int month, week, day;
  month = spend(&bank,22.00);
  week = spend(&bank,10.00);
  day = spend(&bank,3.50);


The spend function has two inputs - the amount that's available (your balance) and the cost of the forklift truck for one unit of time. It returns the number of complete time units. And it alters the balance in the "bank" variable - it's able to do so because it's the address that's been passed in.


Compelete source and sample output - [here]. The image that accompanies this article is public domain and we claim no copyright over it.
(written 2011-04-10)

 
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
C207 - C and C based languages - Pointers and references
  [1155] Pointers in C - (2007-04-19)
  [1478] Some new C programming examples - files, structs, unions etc - (2007-12-19)
  [1497] Training Season Starts again! - (2008-01-07)
  [2005] Variables and pointers and references - C and C++ - (2009-01-23)
  [2572] The what and why of C pointers - (2010-01-13)
  [2670] Pointers to Pointers to Pointers - what is the point? - (2010-03-10)
  [3004] Increment operators for counting - Perl, PHP, C and others - (2010-10-18)
  [3121] New year, new C Course - (2011-01-05)
  [3238] Bradshaw, Ben and Bill. And some C and C++ pointers and references too. - (2011-04-09)
  [3386] Adding the pieces together to make a complete language - C - (2011-08-11)
  [3399] From fish, loaves and apples to money, plastic cards and BACS (Perl references explained) - (2011-08-20)
  [4128] Allocating memory dynamically in a static language like C - (2013-06-30)
  [4560] Variables, Pointers and References - C and C++ - (2015-10-29)


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Forward to
Breaking the running sequence - an introduction to conditional statements and loops
Some other Articles
Melksham - the way forward. 26th April, Well House Manor
Collections in C and C++ - arrays, vectors and heap memory blocks
C and C++ - preprocess, compile, load, run - what each step is for
Breaking the running sequence - an introduction to conditional statements and loops
How to return 2 values from a function (C++ and C) - more uses of pointers
Spring in the countryside near Melksham
Melksham Town Council - vacancy in the Spa Ward
TrainWest, 2011 in pictures - Christie Miller, Bowerhill, Melksham
Using functions to keep look and feel apart from calculations - simple C example
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This is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.

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