When working with function pointers in C++, it is often cumbersome to initialize them in a readable and concise manner. However, C++11 introduced the concept of uniform initialization, which provides a more elegant way to initialize function pointers. In this blog post, we will explore how to use uniform initialization with function pointers in C++.

Basic syntax

The basic syntax for declaring and initializing a function pointer in C++ is as follows:

return_type (*pointer_name)(parameter_type1, parameter_type2, ...);

For example, consider a function pointer myFunctionPointer that points to a function taking no parameters and returning an int:

int (*myFunctionPointer)();

Traditional initialization

Traditionally, initializing a function pointer involved explicitly mentioning the function name and address:

int myFunction() {
    // Function body
}

int (*myFunctionPointer)() = myFunction;

This method becomes verbose when you have multiple function pointers to initialize.

Uniform initialization

With uniform initialization, you can initialize a function pointer more concisely, using curly braces {}:

int (*myFunctionPointer)() = { myFunction };

The function name myFunction is enclosed in braces, which allows us to omit the explicit mention of the function name while initializing the pointer.

Examples

Here are a few more examples to illustrate the usage of uniform initialization with function pointers in different scenarios:

Function with parameters

void printMessage(const std::string& message) {
    // Function body
}

void (*myFunctionPointer)(const std::string&) = { printMessage };

Function returning a pointer

int* allocateMemory() {
    // Function body
}

int* (*myFunctionPointer)() = { allocateMemory };

Function pointer array

int add(int a, int b) {
    // Function body
}

int subtract(int a, int b) {
    // Function body
}

int multiply(int a, int b) {
    // Function body
}

int (*mathOperations[3])(int, int) = { add, subtract, multiply };

Conclusion

Uniform initialization provides a concise and readable way to initialize function pointers in C++. It allows for cleaner code and avoids the verbosity of traditional initialization methods. By adopting uniform initialization, you can enhance the readability and maintainability of your code.

To learn more about function pointers and uniform initialization in C++, refer to the following resources:

• C++ Function Pointers
• Uniform Initialization in C++

#cpp #functionpointers