Hide Function Pointer Declarations With a typedef

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Expertise: Advanced
Language: C++
March 8, 2000
Hide Function Pointer Declarations With a typedef
Can you tell what the following declaration means?

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void (*p[10]) (void (*)() );

Only few programmers can tell that p is an "array of 10 pointers to a function returning void and taking a
pointer to another function that returns void and takes no arguments." The cumbersome syntax is nearly
indecipherable. However, you can simplify it considerably by using typedef declarations. First, declare a
typedef for "pointer to a function returning void and taking no arguments" as follows:

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typedef void (*pfv)();

Next, declare another typedef for "pointer to a function returning void and taking a pfv" based on the
typedef we previously declared:

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typedef void (*pf_taking_pfv) (pfv);

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Now that we have created the pf_taking_pfv typedef as a synonym for the unwieldy "pointer to a function
returning void and taking a pfv", declaring an array of 10 such pointers is a breeze:
pf_taking_pfv p[10];
Danny Kalev
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By raviparu

December 8 2009 2:17 AM PDT

This example really helps in simplifying any sort of complex function pointer declarations
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Hide Function Pointer Declarations With a typedef

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By raviparu

December 8 2009 2:17 AM PDT

This example really helps in simplifying any sort of complex function pointer declarations
Reply to this comment

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Hide Function Pointer Declarations With a typedef

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