Function is a block of code which performs a specific task.
2
votes
0answers
75 views
Asymptotic Growth Comparison [migrated]
For the following functions:
2^n / (n + nlogn)
and
4^squareroot(n)
I'd like to compare their asymptotic growth. Is there any other way to do that other than using limits? Sort of an intuitive ...
4
votes
3answers
218 views
Renaming long named method in C# [closed]
I'm working on a project where exist one method with title
string ValidateNewPasswordExpireCurrentPasswordAndCreateNewPassword(...)
I'm sure the method name must be changed. But can't found good ...
5
votes
5answers
469 views
Why Java does not allow function definitions to be present outside of the class?
Unlike C++, in Java, we cannot have just function declarations in the class and definitions outside of the class. Why is it so?
Is it to emphasize that a single file in Java should contain only one ...
38
votes
9answers
3k views
Why is Today() an example of an impure function?
It seems like, when reading something like this Wikipedia article about "pure functions", they list Today() as an example of an impure function but it seems pretty pure to me. Is it because there is ...
4
votes
2answers
360 views
How can “hash functions” be used to implement hash maps at all?
My understandment is that hash maps allow us to link, say, a string, to certain memory location. But if every string were to be linked to a unique place in memory it would need a huge block of empty ...
17
votes
2answers
877 views
Is it a good idea to provide different function signatures that do the same thing?
Here is a C++ class that gets constructed with three values.
class Foo{
//Constructor
Foo(std::string, int, char);
private:
std::string foo;
char bar;
int baz;
};
All of ...
0
votes
1answer
262 views
Drawing Flowchart for function calculate a number in the Fibonacci Series
I'm trying make Flowchart for function calculate a number in the Fibonacci Series. But It looks like not right. I don't how draw the recursive function.
Please help me how to fix it.
My flowchart: ...
11
votes
4answers
406 views
Why store a function inside a python dictionary?
I'm a python beginner, and I just learned a technique involving dictionaries and functions. The syntax is easy and it seems like a trivial thing, but my python senses are tingling. Something tells me ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
Returning status code where one of many errors could have occured
I'm developing a PHP login component which includes functions to manipulate the User object, such as $User->changePassword(string $old, string $new)
What I need some advice with is how to return a ...
7
votes
3answers
367 views
Why can't we write nested shorthand functions in Clojure?
I tried to evaluate a Clojure expression with nested shorthand functions today, and it wouldn't let me.
The expression was:
(#(+ % (#(+ % (* % %)) %)) 5) ; sorry for the eye bleed
The output was:
...
2
votes
1answer
117 views
Does automatic returning affect performance?
There's a bunch of languages that automatically return the last value in a function (mostly functional) like Ruby, Haskell, Lisp, etc.
Does this feature (or what do you call it) affect the ...
0
votes
1answer
99 views
The idea of functionN in Scala / Functionaljava
From brain driven development
It turns out, that every Function you’ll ever define in Scala, will
become an instance of an Implementation which will feature a certain
Function Trait.
...
0
votes
2answers
63 views
Looking for terminology for the relation of a subject and a predicate
While writing some predicates for collection filtering I have stumbled over the choice of the right words for the relation of the subject and the predicate (English is a foreign language for me). What ...
6
votes
3answers
230 views
Functional Methods on Collections
I'm learning Scala and am a little bewildered by all the methods (higher-order functions) available on the collections. Which ones produce more results than the original collection, which ones ...
10
votes
1answer
318 views
Is there a difference between arguments and parameters?
It might be like this: Parameter means from the callers POV and arguments mean inside the procedure, or other way round.
Or is there no difference?
Update
In Swedish we say "anropsparametrar" i.e. ...
5
votes
2answers
299 views
What can procs and lambdas do that functions can't in ruby
I've been working in Ruby for the last couple weeks, and I've come to the subject of procs, lambdas and blocks. After reading a fair share of examples from a variety of sources, I don't how they're ...
5
votes
2answers
453 views
Is it bad practice to output from within a function?
For example, should I be doing something like:
<?php
function output_message($message,$type='success') {
?>
<p class="<?php echo $type; ?>"><?php echo $message; ...
4
votes
2answers
362 views
Function that requires many parameters
I have a problem related to this:
Are there guidelines on how many parameters a function should accept?
In my case, I have a function that describes a rounded rectangle. The caller specifies
An ...
4
votes
4answers
299 views
Best Method of function parameter validation
I've been dabbling with the idea of creating my own CMS for the experience and because it would be fun to run my website off my own code base.
One of the decisions I keep coming back to is how best ...
10
votes
4answers
536 views
Function declaration as var instead of function
More and more I'm seeing functions being declared like
var foo = function() {
// things
};
Instead of how I had learned, like
function foo() {
// things
}
What's the difference? Better ...
13
votes
1answer
469 views
Why does the C library use macros and functions with same name?
I am reading 'The Standard C Library' by PJ Plauger which is really interesting. The book explains not only how to USE the library but also how it is implemented.
I have finished reading the ctype.h ...
3
votes
5answers
298 views
Confusion regarding def function within Python
I've been learning Python for about 2 months now (Started with Learn Python The Hard Way, now reading Dive Into Python), and within both books, I still seem to be confused over this one bit of code.
...
3
votes
3answers
314 views
How are functions called when passing ++
I don't understand what is passed to the function f() when I call it like this.
main()
{
void f(int,int);
int i=10;
f(i,i++);
}
void f(int i,int j)
{ printf("%d %d",i,j); }
gives me 11 10 ...
11
votes
5answers
214 views
Convert list of 24-hour-precipitation values into total-by-hour
Let's say I have a list of precipitation values by hour, each showing how much rain happened in the prior 24 hours, ordered by date. For example:
{
'2012-05-24 12:00': 0.5, // .5" of rain from ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
What is the name for a NON-self-calling function?
I have a collection of normal functions and self-calling functions within a javascript file. In my comments i want to say something along the lines of "This script can contain both self-calling and ...
1
vote
3answers
357 views
Call stack starts at bottom or top?
A stack is something that piles bottom-up.
Hence a call stack adds new items on the stack when functions are called with items being removed from the stack as each function ends until the stack is ...
20
votes
9answers
2k views
Are there guidelines on how many parameters a function should accept?
I've noticed a few functions I work with have 6 or more parameters, whereas in most libraries I use it is rare to find a function that takes more than 3.
Often a lot of these extra parameters are ...
-5
votes
5answers
1k views
Function like C# properties?
I've been thinking about how C# properties work and could work.
I know the purpose that C# properties were originally designed for, which is certainly useful. However instead in this question I'm ...
0
votes
1answer
104 views
Using functions as statements on Python
A great feature of Javascript is function statements. You can do this:
(function myFunc(){
doSomething();
doSomethingElse();
})();
Which is a way to declare a function and call it without ...
4
votes
5answers
271 views
Using php functions, reserved words as local identifiers [closed]
I'm thinking of some of the array functions. "key", "each", "pos", "range". These are often very useful as local identifiers! I have also seen code that (ab)uses $return, $list, $array, $string. What ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Where should I put functions that are not related to a class?
I am working on a C++ project where I have a bunch of math functions that I initially wrote to use as part of a class. As I've been writing more code, though, I've realized I need these math functions ...
2
votes
2answers
412 views
Template Functions and Function templates in C++
I came across a question which asked the difference between Function Templates and Template Functions in C++ and also Template Classes and Class Templates.
I was under the impression that Function ...
2
votes
2answers
113 views
What is Module Object and Function Object?
I am currently teaching myself Python, using the GNU licensed book "Introduction to Computer Science using Python."
In chapter 3, functions are covered. While I understand the concept of functions ...
3
votes
2answers
239 views
Should I use chained functions in Java?
From time to time, I'll have a class in Java that takes a multitude of parameters, however, sometimes when I am creating an object of this class, I don't need to use all the parameters. As of now, I ...
3
votes
5answers
421 views
Functions with side-effects in Delphi/Pascal
What is the proper approach to functions that have side-effects in Delphi/Pascal?
For example, I could have a boolean function DeleteFile that returns True if the file was deleted and False ...
69
votes
10answers
4k views
One-line functions that are called only once
Consider a parameterless (edit: not necessarily) function that performs a single line of code, and is called only once in the program (though it is not impossible that it'll be needed again in the ...
5
votes
4answers
684 views
When would dynamic scoping be useful?
With dynamic scoping, a callee can access the variables of its caller. Pseudo C code:
void foo()
{
print(x);
}
void bar()
{
int x = 42;
foo();
}
Since I have never programmed in a ...
3
votes
2answers
246 views
Setting $_POST variables as a means of passing data / Not passing parameters in functions
I've got a legacy PHP web application wherein almost each and every function makes references to $_POST variables - retrieving their values, AND setting them (or setting new POST variables) as a means ...
8
votes
5answers
1k views
Feature vs. Function
Often I hear PMs (Project Managers) talk about feature and function. And I'm just so puzzled to differentiate them. Sometimes I think of a feature to be equivalent to a user story. Something like "As ...
3
votes
8answers
342 views
Wrapping simple statement in a function in java?
I was working on neo4j graph database in java. To get the reference node of this db:
GraphDatabaseService graphDb=new EmbeddedGraphDatabase(DB_PATH);
Node Root=graphDb.getReferenceNode()
I ...
10
votes
2answers
535 views
Design: Object method vs separate class's method which takes Object as parameter?
For example, is it better to do:
Pdf pdf = new Pdf();
pdf.Print();
or:
Pdf pdf = new Pdf();
PdfPrinter printer = new PdfPrinter();
printer.Print(pdf);
Another example:
Country m = new ...
2
votes
4answers
564 views
Is function memoization really only for primitives?
I was thinking about this for quite some time. Is function memoization really only for primitives?
I currently have this piece of code:
Public Shared Function Mize(Of TArg1 As Structure, ...
5
votes
3answers
440 views
Good use of wrapper functions?
What do you consider good use of wrapper functions? When are they useful abstractions and in what cases harmful and unnecessary complexity?
10
votes
5answers
1k views
Why are PHP function signatures so inconsistent?
I was going through some PHP functions and I could not help notice the following:
<?php
function foo(&$var) { }
foo($a); // $a is "created" and assigned to null
$b = array();
foo($b['b']);
...
4
votes
3answers
623 views
Static methods or static functions?
I was just reading http://stackoverflow.com/questions/155609/what-is-the-difference-between-a-method-and-a-function and all of a sudden, the thing came to my mind was the static methods.
As static ...
8
votes
7answers
1k views
Is there an optimal number of lines of code per function?
Functions are not only used to minimize duplication of code - they are also used to split up a long function into smaller ones to increase readability, as well as making the code self-commenting. Yet ...
3
votes
18answers
842 views
What do you name functions/variables/etc when you can't think of a good name?
When you are defining a function/variable/etc and are not sure what to name it, what do you name it? How do you come up with a name?
If you use a temporary name as a place-card until you give it it's ...
