Re: Should function argument be changed in function body?

pete wrote:
> CBFalconer wrote:
>>
.... snip ...
>>
>> The only reason not to modify arguments is that the initial value
>> is required later.
>
> I don't think that's a good reason.
> If the specifcation were to suddenly change from the code example
>
> void foo1(int x)
> {
> x ++;
> printf("x+1 = %d\n", x);
> }
>
> to
> int foo1(int x);
> with the return value being the initial value of x,
> I would do it this way:
>
> int foo1(int x)
> {
> const int y = x;
>
> x ++;
> printf("x+1 = %d\n", x);
> return y;
> }

I wouldn't. What has ++ got to do with anything? I would write:

int foo1(int x) {
printf("x+1 = %d\n", x+1);
return x;
}

easily read by non C programmers and which is also easily modified
to return void. I don't believe in returning the value of entry
parameters anyhow, because that leads to such ugly foulups as:

printf("%s %s\n", b, strcat(b, a));

You will never have this foulup using strlcat.

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