NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #20/NN_1992_20.iso/spool/comp/lang/cplus/13356

Text File | 1992-09-08 | 1.6 KB | 40 lines

Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Path: sparky!uunet!mcsun!Germany.EU.net!math.fu-berlin.de!news.uni-stuttgart.de!news
From: KOCHER@141.58.123.1 (HARTMUT KOCHER)
Subject: Pointer or Reference Arguments
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (USENET News System)
Organization: University of Stuttgart, IND
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 07:52:49 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20
Lines: 28

I am currently trying to find a consistent style in
using pointer and references as function arguments.
Currently, I am thinking about two different styles that
I want to explain in the following paragraphs:

1) Reference arguments are used only when aliasing
occurs and the parameter is used only during the
lifetime of the function. Pointers are used whenever the
function might keep a copy of the pointer for later use,
e.g., store it in a private list.

2) Reference arguments are used whenever you must supply
a valid object to the function. Pointers are used when 0
might be a valid parameter as well.

The first approach gives the user of a function a hint
whether a private copy of an object may be retained by a
function. The second approach makes implementation
easier because you don╘t have to check for 0-pointers so
often. The user also sees if he must supply an object or
if 0 is allowed as a valid parameter. I think both
versions have something going for them and I am
interested in hearing from you which one you think is
best. (Or if you have yet another solution to this.)
Any opinions?

Hartmut Kocher
[e-mail]