While calling the Function in C Programming, we can pass the function parameters in two ways:
- Call By Value
- Call By Reference
This article will explain you the difference between Call By Value and Call By Reference in C Programming language with example.
Call By Value
This is the safest way to call the functions. In this method, Values of the declared variables are passed as the parameters to the function. When we pass the values to the function,
- Compiler is actually making a clone or copy of the original value and then passing that clone values to the function instead of original values.
- So, Any changes made to the values of the variables inside function does not reflect the original values.
Let us look at one example to understand it better
Passing parameters to function using Call By Value in C Programming
This program allows the user to enter 2 integer values and then we pass those values to another function to do some calculations using Call by value method.
CODE
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/* Call By Value in C Example */ #include <stdio.h> // Function Declaration void CallByValue(int , int ); int main() { int a, b; printf ("\nPlease Enter 2 Integer Values\n"); scanf("%d %d", &a, &b); printf("\nBefore Calling CallByValue() Function A = %d and B = %d", a, b); CallByValue(a, b); printf(" \nAfter Calling CallByValue From Main() A = %d and B = %d", a, b); } void CallByValue(int a, int b) { a = a * 10; b = b * 20; printf(" \nFrom the CallByValue() Function A = %d and B = %d", a, b); } |
OUTPUT
ANALYSIS
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void CallByValue(int , int ); |
This is called as function declaration. If you forget this function declaration then the compiler will throw an error.
Below statement will ask the user to enter 2 numbers
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printf (" \n Please Enter 2 Integer Values \n "); |
Below statement will store the user input values in a, b variables
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scanf("%d %d", &a, &b); |
Below statement will print the user input values a and b to compare them later
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printf("\n Before Calling CallByValue() Function A = %d and B = %d", a, b); |
In the next line, we called the function
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CallByValue(5 , 9 ); |
When the compiler reaches this function then it will traverse to the top to check for the function definition or else function declaration of the CallByValue () function. If the function fails to identify the function with CallByValue name then it will throw error.
In this case, while traversing upwards it will stop at
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void CallByValue(int , int ); |
because it matches with the function we called
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CallByValue(5 , 9 ); |
Above function declaration will take the compiler to the below function
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void CallByValue(int a, int b) |
Function Definition
Within the function, We altered the values of a and b by multiplying a with 10 and b with 20.
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CallByValue(int a, int b) a = a * 10; b = b * 20; |
Which means, CallByValue(5, 9) will become
a = 5 * 10 = 50 and
b = 9 * 20 = 180
Below printf statements is used to print the values of a and b
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printf(" \nFrom the CallByValue() Function A = %d and B = %d", a, b); = 50, 180 |
End of CallByValue() function
Lets us see our main() function again
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printf(" \nAfter Calling CallByValue From Main() A = %d and B = %d", a, b); |
It will print a = 5 and b = 9
Although we changed the a and b values in the CallByValue () function it will not reflect the original values because CallByValue () function used the copy of original values.
Call By Reference
In this method, Address of the declared variables are passed as the parameters to the function. When we pass the address of the variable to the function,
- Function is actually accessing the address of the original value (Referring the address).
- So, Any changes made to the values of the variables inside function means we are actually changing the original values.
Please be careful while working with this method. If there are any calculations that are depends upon the original values then you may end up with wrong values.
Passing parameters to function using Call By Reference in C
This program allows the user to enter 2 integer values and then we pass those values to swap function to swap those 2 integers using Call by reference method.
CODE
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/* Call By Reference in C Example */ #include <stdio.h> // Function Declaration void Swap(int *, int *); int main() { int a, b; printf ("Please Enter 2 Integer Values"); scanf("%d %d", &a, &b); printf("\nBefore Swap A = %d and B = %d", a, b); Swap(&a, &b); printf(" \nAfter Swapping From Main() A = %d and B = %d", a, b); } void Swap(int *x, int *y) { int Temp; Temp = *x; *x = *y; *y = Temp; /* *x = 20; *y = 40; */ printf(" \nAfter Swapping From UDF A = %d and B = %d", *x, *y); } |
OUTPUT
ANALYSIS
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void Swap(int , int ); |
This is called as function declaration. If you forget this function declaration then the compiler will throw an error.
Below statement will ask the user to enter 2 numbers
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printf (" \n Please Enter 2 Integer Values \n "); |
Below statement will store the user input values in a, b variables
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scanf("%d %d", &a, &b); |
Below statement will print the user input values a and b to compare them later
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printf("\n Before Swap A = %d and B = %d", a, b); |
Let us assume that, value of a is stored at the memory location of 1234 and value of b is stored at the memory location of 6789
In the next line, we called the function
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Swap(&a, &b); |
Here &a means the address of a not the value inside the a. It means,
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Swap(1234 , 6789 ); |
Function Definition
Within the function, We declared one more local variable Temp to swap the values of a and b
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Temp = *x; *x = *y; *y = Temp; |
*x is the value inside the address of x.
Which means,
value inside 1234 = 10 and value inside 6789 = 25
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Swap (10, 25) |
Below printf statements is used to print the values of a and b
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printf(" \n After Swapping From UDF A = %d and B = %d", *x, *y); |
End of Swap() function
Lets us see our main() function again
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printf(" \n After Swapping From Main() A = %d and B = %d", a, b); |
It will print a = 25 and b = 10
Here we changed the original values using the address of them in Swap function, that’s why this printf statement is showing the output like this
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