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From: john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re:  C question
Message-ID: <259@moncol.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Apr-85 09:52:21 EST
Article-I.D.: moncol.259
Posted: Thu Apr 18 09:52:21 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 19-Apr-85 00:36:06 EST
References: <1617@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Organization: Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Lines: 54

>From: kjm@ut-ngp.UUCP (Ken Montgomery)
>Message-ID: <1617@ut-ngp.UUCP>
>
>From: lspirkov@udenva.UUCP (Goldilocks)
>>In article <> jack@boring.UUCP (Jack Jansen) writes:
>>>
>>>procedure p(var i:integer):integer;
>              ^^^
>>>begin
>>>    p := i;
>>>    i := i+1;
>>>end (* p *);
>>>
>>
>>you obviously don't know your pascal!  a function returns
>>something.  a procedure doesn't.
>>
>>                                        Goldi
>
>The 'var' keyword has the effect that the value of 'i' is assigned
>to the corresponding actual parameter in the calling routine at the
>termination of the called routine.

What goldi was referring to was this:

>procedure p(var i:integer):integer;
                           ^^^^^^^^

The part I have highlighted is used in a FUNCTION declaration to declare
the type of the value returned. The type of values returned by a PROCEDURE
is declared by the 'var' as you pointed out.

The correct declaration is:

	procedure p(var i:integer);

I don't have the original article handy, but it almost looks like someone
was trying to perform the illegal:

	function p(var i:integer):integer;

which would be an attempt at declaring a function which returns two values.
I pray that somewhere there isn't a compiler which would accept that. 
(Ooh, ick!)


-- 
Name:		John Ruschmeyer
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