Pointers to Functions in C++

By Shanigaram Mahesh

In this tutorial, we will learn about pointers to functions in C++, why we use pointers in functions. Let us see with some examples.

Pointers to functions in C++

A pointer to a function contains the address of a function and you can call the function through the pointer. You declare a Function pointer using this format:

int(* fptr)();
The pointer’s name is fptr. This particular pointer points to functions that return int accept no arguments. The pointer declaration must match those of the functions which it points.

To assign the address of a function to a function pointer, use one of these two idioms:

fptr  =&TheFunction;
fptr =&TheFunction;

The & address-of operator is not required because a function’s identifier alone signifies its address rather than a call to the function, which would include an argument list in parentheses following the identifier.

You call a function through its pointer using one of these formats:

x =(*fptr)();

x=fptr();

One example of a finite state machine is a table-driven menu manager like this.

// --a menu structure
struct Menu
{
char * name;
void (*fn)();
};
// --menu selection functions
void FileFunc();
void ExitFunc();
// -- the menu
Menu menu[]={{"File",FileFunc},{"Exit",ExitFunc)
};
// -- call through function pointer;
(*menu[sel].fn)();

Functions Pointers in C++:

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
void FileFunc()
{
cout<< "File Function \n:";
}
int main()
{
void (*funcp)(); //Pointer to function
funcp = FileFunc; //Put address in pointer
(*funcp)(); //Call the function
}

Output:

File Function

Program:

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
struct Menu
{
char* name;
void (*fn)();
};
void FileFunc()
{
cout<<"File Function\n";
}
void ExitFunc()
{
cout<<"Exit Function\n";
}
Menu menu[]={{"File", FileFunc},{"Exit", ExitFunc}}; //The menu
int main()
{
//  --- the menu manager
unsigned sel =0;
const int sz = sizeof menu / sizeof(menu);
while(sel!=sz)
{
for(int i=0;i<sz ; i++) // Display the menu
cout<<i+1<<" : "<<menu[i].name<< "\n";
cout<<"Select : ";
cin>>sel; //Prompt for and get selection
if(sel < sz+1)
// -call through function pointer 
(*menu[sel-1].fn)(); //Call through function pointer
}
}

Output:

1: File
2:Exit
Select : 1
File Function
1: File
2:Exit
Select : 2
Exit Function

Also read:

• Pointers and references in C++