The Syntax of C and C++ Function Pointers

2.1 Define a Function Pointer
Regarding their syntax, there are two different types of function pointers: On the one hand there are pointers to ordinary C functions or to static C++ member functions. On the other hand there are pointers to non-static C++ member functions. The basic difference is that all pointers to non-static member functions need a hidden argument: The this-pointer to an instance of the class. Always keep in mind: These two types of function pointers are incompatible with each other.


Since a function pointer is nothing else than a variable, it must be defined as usual. In the following example we define three function pointers named pt2Function, pt2Member and pt2ConstMember. They point to functions, which take one float and two char and return an int. In the C++ example it is assumed, that the functions, our pointers point to, are (non-static) member functions of TMyClass.


// 2.1 define a function pointer and initialize to NULL
int (pt2Function)(float, char, char) = NULL; // C
int (TMyClass::*pt2Member)(float, char, char) = NULL; // C++
int (TMyClass::*pt2ConstMember)(float, char, char) const = NULL; // C++