Arbitrary number of arguments

[Magnus Jonneryd]

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to implement a function in C++
that has an argument list of arbitrary length. Is this possible (I don't
want to use a data structure to accomplish this)?

I found a header stdarg.h that addresses this, but I also found an article
that stated that it shouldn't be used in C++ since it wasn't typesafe. Is
there any truth to the article or can i go a head and use the macros in
stdarg.h?

Grateful for all help.
--
(Should insert humorous quotation here)

[Alf P. Steinbach]

* Magnus Jonneryd:

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to implement a function in C++
that has an argument list of arbitrary length. Is this possible
Yes.

(I don't
want to use a data structure to accomplish this)?
All solutions involve data structures, because the arguments are data.

But you may perhaps consider a solution à la std::cout's operator<< to be less
of a data structure than a dynamic call structure.

I found a header stdarg.h that addresses this, but I also found an article
that stated that it shouldn't be used in C++ since it wasn't typesafe. Is
there any truth to the article
Yes.

or can i go a head and use the macros in stdarg.h?

Yes again (but don't complain about the results).

--
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[mlimber]

Magnus Jonneryd wrote:

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to implement a function in C++
that has an argument list of arbitrary length. Is this possible (I don't
want to use a data structure to accomplish this)?

I found a header stdarg.h that addresses this, but I also found an article
that stated that it shouldn't be used in C++ since it wasn't typesafe. Is
there any truth to the article or can i go a head and use the macros in
stdarg.h?

stdarg.h uses data structures, too, as Alf mentions, and its use is
discouraged in C++. Likewise, cin/cout are typesafe, scanf/printf are
not, and the former are preferred in C++.

There are other approaches to a variable number of arguments if you
don't mind strange looking syntax; see this recent thread, especially
the post by Cy Edmunds:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp....becab933500acc

Cheers! --M

[Default User]

Magnus Jonneryd wrote:

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to implement a function in
C++ that has an argument list of arbitrary length. Is this possible
(I don't want to use a data structure to accomplish this)?

You would be better off describing the actual problem you are trying to
solve, rather than your proposed solution (as it isn't a good one). We
may be able to give you a solution that doesn't require a function
taking an arbitrary number of arguments.


Brian

[Magnus Jonneryd]

Thanks all.

--
(Should insert humorous quotation here)