how to use enum with array of function pointers ?

[Mahesh Rasal]

Hello all,

I want to initialize the pointers to functions, which i have declared in an array.
e.g

#include <math.h>
typedef double (*Fx)(double x); // pointer to function

int main(void)
{
Fx f[3]; //array of function pointers

f[0] = cos;
f[1] = sin;
f[2] = tan;
.
.
.
.
.
}
This approach is ok if the number of functions is small.

If I have ,say 200 functions and I want to use pointer to function, how can i initialize so many pointers?
I was thinking about using enum for storing name of functions, but cannot implement exactly as i doubt whether if i use enum instance instead of function name, will it work?

Plz do suggest me...

[weaknessforcats]

If you have 200 functions you don't need 200 function pointers unless every function has different arguiments ro return types.

The idea of the function pointer is to decide at run time what function to call based on runtime coinditions.

An enum is just a named integer value. Enums are used to avoid harde-coding integers in your program.

You could use an enum to help you decide what function to call.

Assume you have two functions:

int MyFunction(int, int);
int YourFunction(int, int);
//and a function pointer:
 
int (*fp)(int, int);
 
 

You could do this:

enum funcs {MYFUNCTION, YOURFUNCTION};
.....
 
switch (funcs)
{
    case MYFUNCTION:
            fp = MyFunction;
            break;
    case YOURFUNCTION:
            fp = YourFunction;
            break;
....
}
 

[RRick]

You can also use enums to designate the position of the function within the array.

enum  { Sin=0, Cos, ... };
........
// Initialization
fx[ Sin] = ::sin;
fx[ Cos] = ::cos;
........
double sinValue = fx[Sin]( .8999);  //  Assuming radians are used
 

Now you control how the pointers are used.

One other point, only the functions that exactly match the Fx typedef will compile with C++. If you have a function that takes 2 parameters, then the compiler will complain.