CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c
dimitris93
dimitris93

Reputation: 4273

Function pointers C

I am trying to understand C function pointers. I made this example to describe what I do not understand about the syntax specifically. 

//somewhere in a .h
void(*func_pointer)(int i);

//somewhere in a .c
void func_test(int i)
{
    printf("%d\n", i);
}

//initializing the func_pointer
func_pointer = &func_test;// works as expected
func_pointer = func_test;//why this works ? left: pointer, right: function
func_pointer = *func_test;//why this works ? left: pointer, right: ?

//calling the func
(*func_pointer)(2);//works as expected
func_pointer(2);//why this works ? calling a pointer ?

Why is this syntax accepted ?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 158

Answers (1)

MadDoctor5813
MadDoctor5813

Reputation: 281

func_pointer = func_test and func_pointer = *func_test work because function names are automatically turned into function addresses when used in this context. func_pointer(2) works because function pointers automatically dereference themselves, much like references. As to why they do these things, I don't know. Maybe it was decided the syntax was complicated enough already.

Upvotes: 2

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