Function pointer conversion using union - c++

typedef void (*callable_function)(double);
void call_function(callable_function func)
{
func(3.0);
}
class Foo;
union converter {
callable_function func;
void (Foo::*foo_func)(void);
};
class Foo {
private:
double d;
public:
Foo(void) : d(0.0)
{
converter c;
c.foo_func = &Foo::set_double;
call_function(c.func);//I know i can call the function directly, but that is not what i want to achieve
}
void set_double(double value)
{
d = value;
}
};
void main(void)
{
Foo foo;
}
When trying to execute the code above, i get a heap corruption error in the line:
d = value;.
Probably because the function being called is the class function, not the member function.
But if i try to change this line: c.foo_func = &Foo::set_double; to c.foo_func = &this->set_double;, i get this compiler error:
error C2276: '&' : illegal operation on bound member function expression
Question #1: Is there any way to convert the pointer(casting maybe) from void(Foo::*)(void) to void()(void) or to fix the compiler error?

pointer to "free" function and pointer to member function in C++ have different sizes.
That means you technically can cast pointer to free function to void* ptr as usually they have the same size but you cannot cast member function pointer to void* or other free function - you will get what you've got.
Check this: Pointers to members representations

Related

Passing a function pointer to a member function in C++.Getting error

Hi it is my first experience with passing function pointer in C++.
So here is my code:-
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
// Two simple functions
class student
{
public:
void fun1() { printf("Fun1\n"); }
void fun2() { printf("Fun2\n"); }
// A function that receives a simple function
// as parameter and calls the function
void wrapper(void (*fun)())
{
fun();
}
};
int main()
{ student s;
s.wrapper(s.fun1());
s.wrapper(s.fun2());
return 0;
}
Initially in wrapper function i passed only fun1 and fun2.I got an error
try.cpp:22:15: error: ‘fun1’ was not declared in this scope
s.wrapper(fun1);
^~~~
try.cpp:23:15: error: ‘fun2’ was not declared in this scope
s.wrapper(fun2);
Later I tried to pass s.fun1() and s.fun2() as argument but again got error
try.cpp:23:23: error: invalid use of void expression
s.wrapper(s.fun1());
^
try.cpp:24:23: error: invalid use of void expression
s.wrapper(s.fun2());
Please help I don't know what to do :(
Let's deal with the two issues in the post.
You are calling fun1 and fun2. Since their return type is void, you can't pass their result as something's value. In particular as the value of a function pointer. You also can't obtain their address by using the dot member access operator. Which brings us to the following.
Member functions are not like regular functions. You cannot just take their address. Their treatment is special, because member functions can only be called on an object. So there's a special syntax for them, which involves the class they belong to.
Here's how you would do something like what you are after:
class student
{
public:
void fun1() { printf("Fun1\n"); }
void fun2() { printf("Fun2\n"); }
// A function that receives a member function
// as parameter and calls the function
void wrapper(void (student::*fun)())
{
(this->*fun)();
}
};
int main()
{ student s;
s.wrapper(&student::fun1);
s.wrapper(&student::fun2);
return 0;
}

What's the function signature of a member function?

I'm having trouble understanding function signatures and pointers.
struct myStruct
{
static void staticFunc(){};
void nonstaticFunc(){};
};
int main()
{
void (*p)(); // Pointer to function with signature void();
p = &myStruct::staticFunc; // Works fine
p = &myStruct::nonstaticFunc; // Type mismatch
}
My compiler says that the type of myStruct::nonstaticFunc() is void (myStruct::*)(), but isn't that the type of a pointer pointing to it?
I'm asking because when you create an std::function object you pass the function signature of the function you want it to point to, like:
std::function<void()> funcPtr; // Pointer to function with signature void()
not
std::function<void(*)()> funcPtr;
If I had to guess based on the pattern of void() I would say:
void myStruct::();
or
void (myStruct::)();
But this isn't right. I don't see why I should add an asterisk just because it's nonstatic as opposed to static. In other words, pointer void(* )() points to function with signature void(), and pointer void(myStruct::*)() points to function with signature what?
To me there seems to be a basic misunderstanding of what a member pointer is. For example if you have:
struct P2d {
double x, y;
};
the member pointer double P2d::*mp = &P2d::x; cannot point to the x coordinate of a specific P2d instance, it is instead a "pointer" to the name x: to get the double you will need to provide the P2d instance you're looking for... for example:
P2d p{10, 20};
printf("%.18g\n", p.*mp); // prints 10
The same applies to member functions... for example:
struct P2d {
double x, y;
double len() const {
return sqrt(x*x + y*y);
}
};
double (P2d::*f)() const = &P2d::len;
where f is not a pointer to a member function of a specific instance and it needs a this to be called with
printf("%.18g\n", (p.*f)());
f in other words is simply a "selector" of which of the const member functions of class P2d accepting no parameters and returning a double you are interested in. In this specific case (since there is only one member function compatible) such a selector could be stored using zero bits (the only possible value you can set that pointer to is &P2d::len).
Please don't feel ashamed for not understanding member pointers at first. They're indeed sort of "strange" and not many C++ programmers understand them.
To be honest they're also not really that useful: what is needed most often is instead a pointer to a method of a specific instance.
C++11 provides that with std::function wrapper and lambdas:
std::function<double()> g = [&](){ return p.len(); };
printf("%.18g\n", g()); // calls .len() on instance p
std::function<void()> funcPtr = std::bind(&myStruct::nonstaticFunc, obj);
Is how you store a member function in std::function. The member function must be called on a valid object.
If you want to delay the passing of an object until later, you can accomplish it like this:
#include <functional>
#include <iostream>
struct A {
void foo() { std::cout << "A::foo\n"; }
};
int main() {
using namespace std::placeholders;
std::function<void(A&)> f = std::bind(&A::foo, _1);
A a;
f(a);
return 0;
}
std::bind will take care of the details for you. std::function still must have the signature of a regular function as it's type parameter. But it can mask a member, if the object is made to appear as a parameter to the function.
Addenum:
For assigning into std::function, you don't even need std::bind for late binding of the object, so long as the prototype is correct:
std::function<void(A&)> f = &A::foo;
p = &myStruct::staticFunc; // Works fine
p = &myStruct::nonstaticFunc; // Type mismatch
Reason : A function-to-pointer conversion never applies to non-static member functions because an lvalue that refers to a non-static member function
cannot be obtained.
pointer void(* )() points to function with signature void(), and pointer void(myStruct::*)() points to function with signature what?
myStruct:: is to make sure that the non-static member function of struct myStruct is called (not of other structs, as shown below) :
struct myStruct
{
static void staticFunc(){};
void nonstaticFunc(){};
};
struct myStruct2
{
static void staticFunc(){};
void nonstaticFunc(){};
};
int main()
{
void (*p)(); // Pointer to function with signature void();
void (myStruct::*f)();
p = &myStruct::staticFunc; // Works fine
p = &myStruct2::staticFunc; // Works fine
f = &myStruct::nonstaticFunc; // Works fine
//f = &myStruct2::nonstaticFunc; // Error. Cannot convert 'void (myStruct2::*)()' to 'void (myStruct::*)()' in assignment
return 0;
}
When you use a pointer, std::function or std::bind to refer to a non-static member function (namely, "method" of class Foo), the first param must be a concrete object of class Foo, because non-static method must be called by a concrete object, not by Class.
More details: std::function and
std::bind.
The answer is in the doc.
Pointer to member declarator: the declaration S C::* D; declares D as
a pointer to non-static member of C of type determined by
decl-specifier-seq S.
struct C
{
void f(int n) { std::cout << n << '\n'; }
};
int main()
{
void (C::* p)(int) = &C::f; // pointer to member function f of class C
C c;
(c.*p)(1); // prints 1
C* cp = &c;
(cp->*p)(2); // prints 2
}
There are no function with signature void (). There are void (*)() for a function or void (foo::*)() for a method of foo. The asterisk is mandatory because it's a pointer to x. std::function has nothing to do with that.
Note: Your confusion is that void() is that same signature that void (*)(). Or even int() <=> int (*)(). Maybe you think that you can write int (foo::*) to have a method pointer. But this is a data member pointer because the parenthesis are optional, int (foo::*) <=> int foo::*.
To avoid such obscure syntax you need to write your pointer to function/member with the return type, the asterisk and his parameters.

array of function pointer pointing to functions of a different class

I have a class MyClass. In it, I want to create an array of function pointer and initialize the array with the functions of another class (MemberClass).
MyClass has a pointer to MemberClass as member.
but I get this compile time error
error C2440: 'initializing' : cannot convert from 'void (__thiscall MyMemberClass::* )(void)' to 'F'
//This class has the function that I want to create a function pointer to
class MemberClass
{
private:
int myValue1;
int myValue2;
public:
int GetValue1() //I want to point to this function from a function pointer in another class
{
return myvalue1;
}
int GetValue2() //I want to point to this function from a function pointer in another class
{
return myvalue2;
}
}
//This has array of function pointer that I want to point to member function of another class
Class MyClass
{
typedef void(*F)();
private:
MemberClass* mclass;
F[] f;
Process();
}
.cpp
MyClass::MyClass()
{
f[2] = {&MemberClass::GetValue1, &MemberClass::GetValue2} //This line throws error
//error C2440: 'initializing' : cannot convert from 'void (__thiscall MyMemberClass::* )(void)' to 'F'
}
void MyClass::Processing()
{
//This is how I am hoping to use the function pointer array
F[Index]();
}
F is declared as pointer to function with no parameters returning void. But your functions return int, and are member functions of MemberClass rather than plain ordinary functions. So the type you need is
typedef int (MemberClass::*F)();
Calling it is also more interesting:
int result = (mclass->*f[index])();
Suggestion: rather than a method pointer, use C++11's functional library.
I'm butchering OP's sample code slightly to simplify the example.
MemberClass stays mostly the same. I removed the member variables because the methods are now hard-coded to return 1 and 2 to make them easy to tell apart.
#include <iostream>
#include <functional>
class MemberClass
{
public:
int GetValue1()
{
return 1;
}
int GetValue2()
{
return 2;
}
};
myClass gets a rip-up because this is where the action is.
class MyClass
{
private:
I'm using an array of std::function instead of a typedef and an array of the typedef. Note the template argument int(). This is an array of functions that takes nothing and returns an int. Magic in std::bind will provide the hidden this parameter required by methods. If the function has parameters that are not known at the time of binding, use std::placeholders to save room to them in the method's parameter list.
Since the methods are bound to their object, there is no longer any need to store MemberClass* mclass;
std::function<int()> f[2];
public:
Calling the function is simple: index the array and stick the brackets on.
int Process(int index)
{
return f[index]();
}
The constructor is either a bit trickier, or less tricky, depending on your school of thought. I'm using an initializer list because it is cleaner (to me, at anyrate) and often has performance advantages. For one thing, you can swap out the array for a std::vector or most other containers without having to change a line of code other than the variable definition.
f[0] = std::bind(&MemberClass::GetValue1, mem);
f[1] =...
inside the body of the constructor is still an option.
MyClass(MemberClass * mem):
f{std::bind(&MemberClass::GetValue1, mem),
std::bind(&MemberClass::GetValue2, mem)}
{
}
};
And a silly little bit of test code to make sure this all works. Why? Because every time you don't test code in it's simplest form you're taking an unnecessary risk. If it doesn't work small, it won't work big.
int main()
{
MemberClass c;
MyClass d(&c);
std::cout << d.Process(0) << std::endl;
std::cout << d.Process(1) << std::endl;
}
All together for one cut and paste-able block:
#include <iostream>
#include <functional>
class MemberClass
{
public:
int GetValue1()
{
return 1;
}
int GetValue2()
{
return 2;
}
};
class MyClass
{
private:
std::function<int()> f[2];
public:
int Process(int index)
{
return f[index]();
}
MyClass(MemberClass * mem):
f{std::bind(&MemberClass::GetValue1, mem),
std::bind(&MemberClass::GetValue2, mem)}
{
}
};
int main()
{
MemberClass c;
MyClass d(&c);
std::cout << d.Process(0) << std::endl;
std::cout << d.Process(1) << std::endl;
}

C++ Function call via an object with public member pointer to function, without using dereference operator

Alright, I think the title is sufficiently descriptive (yet confusing, sorry).
I'm reading this library: Timer1.
In the header file there is a public member pointer to a function as follows:
class TimerOne
{
public:
void (*isrCallback)(); // C-style ptr to `void(void)` function
};
There exists an instantiated object of the TimerOne class, called "Timer1".
Timer1 calls the function as follows:
Timer1.isrCallback();
How is this correct? I am familiar with calling functions via function pointers by using the dereference operator.
Ex:
(*myFunc)();
So I would have expected the above call via the object to be something more like:
(*Timer1.isrCallback)();
So, what are the acceptable options for calling functions via function pointers, as both stand-alone function pointers and members of an object?
See also:
[very useful!] Typedef function pointer?
Summary of the answer:
These are all valid and fine ways to call a function pointer:
myFuncPtr();
(*myFuncPtr)();
(**myFuncPtr)();
(***myFuncPtr)();
// etc.
(**********************************f)(); // also valid
Things you can do with a function pointer.
1: The first is calling the function via explicit dereference:
int myfunc(int n)
{
}
int (*myfptr)(int) = myfunc;
(*myfptr)(nValue); // call function myfunc(nValue) through myfptr.
2: The second way is via implicit dereference:
int myfunc(int n)
{
}
int (*myfptr)(int) = myfunc;
myfptr(nValue); // call function myfunc(nValue) through myfptr.
As you can see, the implicit dereference method looks just like a normal function call -- which is what you’d expect, since function are simply implicitly convertible to function pointers!!
In your code:
void foo()
{
cout << "hi" << endl;
}
class TimerOne
{
public:
void(*isrCallback)();
};
int main()
{
TimerOne Timer1;
Timer1.isrCallback = &foo; //Assigning the address
//Timer1.isrCallback = foo; //We could use this statement as well, it simply proves function are simply implicitly convertible to function pointers. Just like arrays decay to pointer.
Timer1.isrCallback(); //Implicit dereference
(*Timer1.isrCallback)(); //Explicit dereference
return 0;
}
You don't have to dereference a function pointer to call it. According to the standard ([expr.call]/1),
The postfix expression shall have
function type or pointer to function type.
So (*myFunc)() is valid, and so is myFunc(). In fact, (**myFunc)() is valid too, and you can dereference as many times as you want (can you figure out why?)
You asked:
Timer1 calls the function as follows:
Timer1.isrCallback();
How is this correct?
The type of Timer1.isrCallback is void (*)(). It is a pointer to a function. That's why you can use that syntax.
It is similar to using:
void foo()
{
}
void test_foo()
{
void (*fptr)() = foo;
fptr();
}
You can also use:
void test_foo()
{
void (*fptr)() = foo;
(*fptr)();
}
but the first form is equally valid.
Update, in response to comment by OP
Given the posted definition of the class you would use:
(*Timer1.isrCallback)();
To use
(Timer1.*isrCallback)();
isrCallback has to be defined as a non-member variable of whose type is a pointer to a member variable of TimerOne.
void (TimerOne::*isrCallback)();
Example:
#include <iostream>
class TimerOne
{
public:
void foo()
{
std::cout << "In TimerOne::foo();\n";
}
};
int main()
{
TimerOne Timer1;
void (TimerOne::*isrCallback)() = &TimerOne::foo;
(Timer1.*isrCallback)();
}
Output:
In TimerOne::foo();
(Test this code)
If you want to define isrCallbak as a member variable of TimerOne, you'll need to use:
#include <iostream>
class TimerOne
{
public:
void (TimerOne::*isrCallback)();
void foo()
{
std::cout << "In TimerOne::foo();\n";
}
};
int main()
{
TimerOne Timer1;
Timer1.isrCallback = &TimerOne::foo;
// A little complicated syntax.
(Timer1.*(Timer1.isrCallback))();
}
Output:
In TimerOne::foo();
(Test this code)

Non-pointer typedef of member functions not allowed?

After getting an answer to this question I discovered there are two valid ways to typedef a function pointer.
typedef void (Function) ();
typedef void (*PFunction) ();
void foo () {}
Function * p = foo;
PFunction q = foo;
I now prefer Function * p to PFunction q but apparently this doesn't work for pointer-to-member functions. Consider this contrived example.
#include <iostream>
struct Base {
typedef void (Base :: *Callback) ();
//^^^ remove this '*' and put it below (i.e. *cb)
Callback cb;
void go () {
(this->*cb) ();
}
virtual void x () = 0;
Base () {
cb = &Base::x;
}
};
struct D1 : public Base {
void x () {
std :: cout << "D1\n";
}
};
struct D2 : public Base {
void x () {
std :: cout << "D2\n";
}
};
int main () {
D1 d1;
D2 d2;
d1 .go ();
d2 .go ();
}
But if I change it to the new preferred style: typedef void (Base :: Callback) () and Callback * cb, I get a compiler error at the point of typedef
extra qualification 'Base::' on member 'Callback'
Demo for error.
Why is this not allowed? Is it simply an oversight or would it cause problems?
For non-member functions, a type such as typedef void(Function)() has several uses, but for member functions the only application is to declare a variable which holds a function pointer. Hence, other than a stylistic preference, there's no strict need to allow this syntax and it has been omitted from the standard.
Background
The :: is a scope resolution operator, and the syntax X::Y is reserved for static member access if X is a class type. So X::*Z was another syntax invented to define pointer-to-member.
Forget member-function for a while, just think about member-data, and see this code:
struct X
{
int a;
};
int X::*pa = &X::a; //pointer-to-member
X x = {100}; //a = 100
cout << (x.*pa) << endl;
It defines a pointer-to-member-data, and the cout uses it to print the value of a of object x, and it prints:
100
Demo : http://www.ideone.com/De2H1
Now think, if X::pa (as opposed to X::*pa) were allowed to do that, then you've written the above as:
int X::pa = X::a; //not &X::a
Seeing this syntax, how would you tell if X::a is a static member or non-static member? That is one reason why the Standard came up with pointer-to-member syntax, and uniformly applies it to non-static member-data as well as non-static member-function.
In fact, you cannot write X::a, you've to write &X::a. The syntax X::a would result in compilation error (see this).
Now extend this argument of member-data to member-function. Suppose you've a typedef defined as:
typedef void fun();
then what do you think the following code does?
struct X
{
fun a;
};
Well, it defines member a of type fun (which is function taking no argument, and returning void), and is equivalent to this:
struct X
{
void a();
};
Surprised? Read on.
struct X
{
fun a; //equivalent to this: void a();
};
void X::a() //yes, you can do this!
{
cout << "haha" << endl;
}
We can use exactly the same syntax to refer to a which is now a member-function:
X x;
x.a(); //normal function call
void (X::*pa)() = &X::a; //pointer-to-member
(x.*pa)(); //using pointer-to-member
The similarity is the synatax on the right hand side : &X::a. Whether a refers to a member-function or member-data, the syntax is same.
Demo : http://www.ideone.com/Y80Mf
Conclusion:
As we know that we cannot write X::a on the RHS, no matter if a is a member-data or member-function. The only syntax which is allowed is &X::f which makes it necessary that the target type (on LHS) must be pointer as well, which in turn makes the syntax void (X::*pa)() absolutely necessary and fundamental, as it fits in with other syntax in the language.
To be precise the two typedef's in the case of the non-member pointers are not the same:
typedef void function();
typedef void (*fptr)();
The first defines function as a function taking no arguments and returning void, while the second defines ftpr as a pointer to function taking no arguments and returning void. The confusion probably arises as the function type will be implicitly converted to a pointer type in many contexts. But not all:
function f; // declares void f();
struct test {
function f; // declares void test::f()
};
void g( function f ); // declares g( void (*f)() ): function decays to pointer to function in declaration
g( f ); // calls g( &f ): function decays to pointer to function
void f() {} // definition of f
// function h = f; // error: cannot assign functions
function *h = f; // f decays to &f
Let's skip the "function" part for a second. In C++, we have the int, the int* and the int Foo::* types. That's a regular integer, pointer to integer, and a pointer to an integer member. There is no fourth type "integer member".
Exactly the same applies to functions: there's just no type "member function", even though there are function types, function pointer types, and member function pointer types.