Overloading Functions. - Topic

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Apr 16 2014 11:06pm

So I had a question regarding overloading functions. Is this method of programming used often or is it not preferred? Should the programmer use separate naming convictions for different functions?

Code

// Function prototypes
int square(int);
double square(double);

Code

int square(int number)
{
return number * number;
}

Code

double square(double number)
{
return number * number;
}

To me it seems very useful but at the same time I could see some people preferring not to use it. Is it harder to debug at all?

Thanks again y'all!

Minkomonster

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Apr 16 2014 11:23pm

There is nothing wrong with overloading functions. It is commonplace, and expected. Why waste time differentiating between

Code

int intSquare(int);
double dblSquare(double);

When you can easily get the differentiation from the parameters and return types. NOT overloading causes more confusion than overloading.

SelfTaught

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Apr 16 2014 11:37pm

Minko pretty much covered it but if youre using c++ you could just use templates

Code

template<typename T>
T square(T number) {
return (number * number);
}

This post was edited by SelfTaught on Apr 16 2014 11:37pm

NinjaSushi

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Apr 17 2014 12:34am

Quote (SelfTaught @ 17 Apr 2014 00:37)

Minko pretty much covered it but if youre using c++ you could just use templates

Code

template<typename T>
T square(T number) {
return (number * number);
}

That is new to me. I guess I haven't gotten that far yet.

Quote (Minkomonster @ 17 Apr 2014 00:23)

There is nothing wrong with overloading functions. It is commonplace, and expected. Why waste time differentiating between

Code

int intSquare(int);
double dblSquare(double);

When you can easily get the differentiation from the parameters and return types. NOT overloading causes more confusion than overloading.

Yeah Ducky told me the same thing more or less. Use'em if you got'em because it cleans up code.

He's on steam btw if anyone wants me to relay a message.

Minkomonster

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Apr 17 2014 01:00am

Quote (NinjaSushi2 @ Apr 17 2014 01:34am)

That is new to me. I guess I haven't gotten that far yet.

Yeah Ducky told me the same thing more or less. Use'em if you got'em because it cleans up code.

He's on steam btw if anyone wants me to relay a message.

Tell him I think he is super cute, and to keep on being super cute.

carteblanche

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Apr 17 2014 04:14am

just to clarify, only overload (eg: same function name) if they perform similar tasks with different params. for example, if you have many functions named square that that multiply the parameter by itself, you don't want to have a function named square that draws an ascii square to cout. you'll confuse the hell out of everyone (including yourself).

This post was edited by carteblanche on Apr 17 2014 04:14am

NinjaSushi

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Apr 17 2014 02:12pm

Quote (carteblanche @ 17 Apr 2014 05:14)

I understand that much. I'm going to start overloading as it is so much cleaner. Thanks God for function signatures.

carteblanche

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Apr 17 2014 05:08pm

Quote (NinjaSushi2 @ Apr 17 2014 04:12pm)

I understand that much. I'm going to start overloading as it is so much cleaner. Thanks God for function signatures.

some languages have default parameters so you dont need to make 4 different functions to do the same bloody thing

NinjaSushi

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Apr 17 2014 06:49pm

Quote (carteblanche @ 17 Apr 2014 18:08)

some languages have default parameters so you dont need to make 4 different functions to do the same bloody thing

carteblanche

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#10

Apr 17 2014 06:58pm

Quote (NinjaSushi2 @ Apr 17 2014 08:49pm)

suppose you have something like this:

Code

int parseInt(String value, int radix){
// parse the value into an int based on radix
}

when you wanna use the function, you have to do pass two arguments every time:

Code

parseInt("42", 10);

well guess what? 99% of the time, you wanna use radix = 10. so to simplify your code, you can do add a second function:

Code

int parseInt(String value, int radix){
// parse the value into an int based on radix
}
int parseInt(String value){
return parseInt(value, 10);
}

so now for your convenience, you can call:

Code

parseInt("42")

this is a classic example of overloading, essentially just to use a default value. now we have two functions. but some languages like C# have something called optional parameters. instead of writing two of these functions, you can write just one:

Code

int parseInt(int value, int radix = 10){
// parse stuff
}

and you can call it both ways:

Code

parseInt("42");
parseInt("42", 10);

This post was edited by carteblanche on Apr 17 2014 07:01pm

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