Re: Array of pointer-to-functions

From:
I <ian.ewing@gmail.com>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.c++
Date:
Sun, 16 Sep 2012 20:57:08 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID:
<fe21ca84-17b4-4e7e-8bb7-d57d32283efe@googlegroups.com>
On Sunday, September 16, 2012 10:11:33 PM UTC-5, (unknown) wrote:

On Sunday, September 16, 2012 6:25:52 PM UTC-5, I wrote:
 

Hello,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question: How do I create a n array of pointer - to - functions to be f=

illed by a user?

 

 

 

My goal is to create the calculate function, which takes two values and=

 passes them to a array of pointer-to-functions, which calculates something=
 from those 2 values and returns it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not getting any build errors. It is definitly not running though.=

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am guessing my problem is in one of 3 places:

 

 

 

1.) the calculate protoype

 

 

 

2.) the calculate function

 

 

 

3.) the defenition of double calculate(double y, double x, int z,double=

 (*pt[])(double a,double b))

 

 

 

but I am running out of ideas (and still find pointers confusing). Any =

hints would be welcome and appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is my code:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#include <cstdlib>

 

 

 

#include <iostream>

 

 

 

#include <cstring>

 

 

 

#include <cmath>

 

 

 

#include <limits>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

using namespace std;

 

 

 

//int size;

 

 

 

//functions below here

 

 

 

double calculate(double y, double x, int z,double (*pt[])(double a,doub=

le b)); //changed 4 to [] in hopes of creating a blank array

 

 

 

double add(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double subtract(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double mult(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double divide(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double mean(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double pythag(double a, double b);

 

 

 

/*

 

 

 

 * begin main

 

 

 

 */

 

 

 

int main()

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    int choice,size_choice;

 

 

 

    double (*pt[size_choice])(double a, double b);//={add,subtract,mu=

lt,divide};

 
 
 
The problem is here. This is not valid (the size of an array must be a co=

nstant), although some compilers accept it. But even with those compilers t=
hat accept it, it won't do what you want because size_choice hasn't been in=
itialized. Most likely it will contain a random large value, and the progra=
m will try to allocate a large amount of memory on the stack, causing a sta=
ck overflow.

 
 
 

    double a,b,test;

 

 

 

    cout<<"Enter two values: \n";

 

 

 

    if(!(cin>>a>>b))

 

 

 

        cout<<"Catastrophic Error!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n";

 

 

 

    //Now going to attempt to write a switch that allow users to choose=

 up to 5 functions to operate on their numbers

 

 

 

    cout<<"Choose the # of functions you wish to use (only six function=

s currently available) \n";

 

 

 

    while(1)

 

 

 

    {

 

 

 

        if(!(cin>>size_choice))

 

 

 

        {

 

 

 

            cin.clear();

 

 

 

            cin.ignore(numeric_limits<streamsize>::max(),'\n');

 

 

 

            cout<<"Failure\n";

 

 

 

        }

 

 

 

        else

 

 

 

            break;

 

 

 

    }

 
 
 
Here is where you would declare the array, now that size_choice has been =

initialized:

 
 
 
double (*pt[size_choice])(double a, double b);// {add, subtract, mult, di=

vide};

 
 
 
Or use std::vector:
 
 
 
vector<double(*)(double, double)> pt(size_choice);
 
 
 
But I don't see why you need to allocate only size_choice pointers. Just =

declare an array that contains all the function pointers and use only the o=
nes you need.

 
 
 

    cout<<"Choose your functions: \n"

 

 

 

            "1.) add 2.) subtract 3.) mult\n"

 

 

 

          "4.) divide 5.) mean 6.) pythag\n";

 

 

 

    //cin>>choice;

 

 

 

    for(int i=0;i<size_choice;i++)

 

 

 

    {

 

 

 

        cin>>choice;

 

 

 

        switch(choice)

 

 

 

        {

 

 

 

            case 1: pt[i]=add;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 2: pt[i]=subtract;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 3: pt[i]=mult;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 4: pt[i]=divide;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 5: pt[i]=mean;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 6: pt[i]=pythag;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

        }

 

 

 

    }

 

 

 

    calculate(a,b,size_choice,pt);

 

 

 

    return 0;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

/*

 

 

 

 *Define your functions after break!

 

 

 

 */

 

 

 

double calculate(double y, double x,int z, double (*pt[])(double,double=

))

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    double * temp = new double [z];

 

 

 

    //double a,b,test=0;

 

 

 

    for(int i=0;i<z;i++)

 

 

 

    {

 

 

 

      temp[i]=(*pt[i])(x,y);

 

 

 

      cout<<temp[i]<<" next \n";

 

 

 

    }

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

    delete [] temp;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double add(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return a+b;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double subtract(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    double total=a-b;

 

 

 

    return total;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double mult(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return a*b;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double divide(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

    double total=a/b;

 

 

 

    //double remainder=a%b;

 

 

 

    return total;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double mean(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return (a+b)/2;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double pythag(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return sqrt((a*a)+(b*b));

 

 

 

}

 
 
 
By the way, a better way to do this is with polymorphism:
 
 
 
class Operation
 
{
 
public:
 
    virtual double Calculate(double a, double b) = 0;
 
};
 
 
 
class AddOperation : public Operation
 
{
 
public:
 
    double Calculate(double a, double b) { return a + b; }
 
};
 
 
 
class SubtractOperation : public Operation
 
{
 
public:
 
    double Calculate(double a, double b) { return a - b; }
 
};
 
 
 
...
 
 
 
Then create a vector of Operations:
 
 
 
vector<Operation*> operations(size_choice);
 
 
 
And add objects to it like you added function pointers to the other array=

:

 
 
 
switch (choice)
 
{
 
case 1:
 
    operations[i] = new AddOperation();
 
    break;
 
case 2:
 
    operations[i] = new SubtractOperation();
 
    break;
 
...
 
}
 
 
 
And then call Calculate on all the objects:
 
 
 
for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i)
 
    cout << operations[i]->Calculate(a, b) << endl;


On Sunday, September 16, 2012 10:11:33 PM UTC-5, (unknown) wrote:

On Sunday, September 16, 2012 6:25:52 PM UTC-5, I wrote:
 

Hello,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question: How do I create a n array of pointer - to - functions to be f=

illed by a user?

 

 

 

My goal is to create the calculate function, which takes two values and=

 passes them to a array of pointer-to-functions, which calculates something=
 from those 2 values and returns it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not getting any build errors. It is definitly not running though.=

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am guessing my problem is in one of 3 places:

 

 

 

1.) the calculate protoype

 

 

 

2.) the calculate function

 

 

 

3.) the defenition of double calculate(double y, double x, int z,double=

 (*pt[])(double a,double b))

 

 

 

but I am running out of ideas (and still find pointers confusing). Any =

hints would be welcome and appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is my code:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#include <cstdlib>

 

 

 

#include <iostream>

 

 

 

#include <cstring>

 

 

 

#include <cmath>

 

 

 

#include <limits>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

using namespace std;

 

 

 

//int size;

 

 

 

//functions below here

 

 

 

double calculate(double y, double x, int z,double (*pt[])(double a,doub=

le b)); //changed 4 to [] in hopes of creating a blank array

 

 

 

double add(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double subtract(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double mult(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double divide(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double mean(double a, double b);

 

 

 

double pythag(double a, double b);

 

 

 

/*

 

 

 

 * begin main

 

 

 

 */

 

 

 

int main()

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    int choice,size_choice;

 

 

 

    double (*pt[size_choice])(double a, double b);//={add,subtract,mu=

lt,divide};

 
 
 
The problem is here. This is not valid (the size of an array must be a co=

nstant), although some compilers accept it. But even with those compilers t=
hat accept it, it won't do what you want because size_choice hasn't been in=
itialized. Most likely it will contain a random large value, and the progra=
m will try to allocate a large amount of memory on the stack, causing a sta=
ck overflow.

 
 
 

    double a,b,test;

 

 

 

    cout<<"Enter two values: \n";

 

 

 

    if(!(cin>>a>>b))

 

 

 

        cout<<"Catastrophic Error!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\n";

 

 

 

    //Now going to attempt to write a switch that allow users to choose=

 up to 5 functions to operate on their numbers

 

 

 

    cout<<"Choose the # of functions you wish to use (only six function=

s currently available) \n";

 

 

 

    while(1)

 

 

 

    {

 

 

 

        if(!(cin>>size_choice))

 

 

 

        {

 

 

 

            cin.clear();

 

 

 

            cin.ignore(numeric_limits<streamsize>::max(),'\n');

 

 

 

            cout<<"Failure\n";

 

 

 

        }

 

 

 

        else

 

 

 

            break;

 

 

 

    }

 
 
 
Here is where you would declare the array, now that size_choice has been =

initialized:

 
 
 
double (*pt[size_choice])(double a, double b);// {add, subtract, mult, di=

vide};

 
 
 
Or use std::vector:
 
 
 
vector<double(*)(double, double)> pt(size_choice);
 
 
 
But I don't see why you need to allocate only size_choice pointers. Just =

declare an array that contains all the function pointers and use only the o=
nes you need.

 
 
 

    cout<<"Choose your functions: \n"

 

 

 

            "1.) add 2.) subtract 3.) mult\n"

 

 

 

          "4.) divide 5.) mean 6.) pythag\n";

 

 

 

    //cin>>choice;

 

 

 

    for(int i=0;i<size_choice;i++)

 

 

 

    {

 

 

 

        cin>>choice;

 

 

 

        switch(choice)

 

 

 

        {

 

 

 

            case 1: pt[i]=add;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 2: pt[i]=subtract;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 3: pt[i]=mult;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 4: pt[i]=divide;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 5: pt[i]=mean;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

            case 6: pt[i]=pythag;

 

 

 

                    break;

 

 

 

        }

 

 

 

    }

 

 

 

    calculate(a,b,size_choice,pt);

 

 

 

    return 0;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

/*

 

 

 

 *Define your functions after break!

 

 

 

 */

 

 

 

double calculate(double y, double x,int z, double (*pt[])(double,double=

))

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    double * temp = new double [z];

 

 

 

    //double a,b,test=0;

 

 

 

    for(int i=0;i<z;i++)

 

 

 

    {

 

 

 

      temp[i]=(*pt[i])(x,y);

 

 

 

      cout<<temp[i]<<" next \n";

 

 

 

    }

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

    delete [] temp;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double add(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return a+b;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double subtract(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    double total=a-b;

 

 

 

    return total;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double mult(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return a*b;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double divide(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

    double total=a/b;

 

 

 

    //double remainder=a%b;

 

 

 

    return total;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double mean(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return (a+b)/2;

 

 

 

}

 

 

 

double pythag(double a, double b)

 

 

 

{

 

 

 

    return sqrt((a*a)+(b*b));

 

 

 

}

 
 
 
By the way, a better way to do this is with polymorphism:
 
 
 
class Operation
 
{
 
public:
 
    virtual double Calculate(double a, double b) = 0;
 
};
 
 
 
class AddOperation : public Operation
 
{
 
public:
 
    double Calculate(double a, double b) { return a + b; }
 
};
 
 
 
class SubtractOperation : public Operation
 
{
 
public:
 
    double Calculate(double a, double b) { return a - b; }
 
};
 
 
 
...
 
 
 
Then create a vector of Operations:
 
 
 
vector<Operation*> operations(size_choice);
 
 
 
And add objects to it like you added function pointers to the other array=

:

 
 
 
switch (choice)
 
{
 
case 1:
 
    operations[i] = new AddOperation();
 
    break;
 
case 2:
 
    operations[i] = new SubtractOperation();
 
    break;
 
...
 
}
 
 
 
And then call Calculate on all the objects:
 
 
 
for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i)
 
    cout << operations[i]->Calculate(a, b) << endl;


Great, thanks for the tip! Just getting into classes, hopefully polymorphis=
ms will come up in the text.

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