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Defining a Function with Optional Pointer Variables

Description

To define a function with an optional pointer variable, you must follow the function declaration syntax illustrated below. The parameter = value portion of the declaration is how a default value is defined. NULL_VALUE() is used to assign a NULL value to a pointer.

Examples

The following function examines the parameters sent to it and responds with a message box that says what it received.

function fooFunc as P (param = NULL_VALUE())
'shows how a function can have either no argument or an optional pointer argument
    if typeof(param) = "P" then
        ui_msg_box("Properties of input parameter", properties_enum(param))
    else if typeof(param) = "Z"
        ui_msg_box("","User did not pass in any parameters to the function")
        'note: typeof(param) will return "Z"
    else
        ui_msg_box("","This function expects either a Pointer argument, or no argument at all. You have specified a " + typeof(param) + " argument")
end if

The following code in the Interactive window shows the function in action.

p.name = "selwyn"
p.city = "boston"
fooFunc(p)
fooFunc()
fooFunc(23)

See Also

• Dot Variables