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From: svb@cs.purdue.EDU (Stephan Bechtolsheim)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Overloading of functions with semi-identical signatures
Message-ID: <14679@ector.cs.purdue.edu>
Date: 21 May 91 03:42:11 GMT
Sender: news@cs.purdue.EDU
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Purdue University
Lines: 57

Look at the following source code please:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

#include <stream.h>

// Have three functions with almost identical signatures.
int F (int);
int F (int &);
int F (const int &);

int F (int a) {
  cout << "int F (int) called, argument = " << a << "\n";
  return 0;
}

int F (int &a) {
  cout << "int F (int &) called, argument = " << a << "\n";
  return 0;
}

int F (const int &a) {
  cout << "int F (const int &) called, argument = " << a << "\n";
  return 0;
}

int main() {
  // ****************************************
  // And here is a function call. WHICH F?!?!
  // ****************************************
  int k = F(12); // which F?!
  exit (0);
}
--------------------------------------------------------

Question 1: which F should the compiler pick? With g++ it pickes
the first one, but WHY?!

Question 2: C++ would not allow you to do this though:

int F (const int);
int F (const int a) {
  cout << "int F (const int) called, argument = " << a << "\n";
  return 0;
}

Then g++ (1.37....) complains.

Anyone any insight?

Thanks.

Stephan v. Bechtolsheim
Computer Sciences Department			svb@cs.purdue.edu
Computer Science Building			(317) 494 7802
Purdue University			   FAX: (317) 494 0739
West Lafayette, IN 47907