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int main() or void main() ??!!
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Well, first of all, I'm astrojith. I'm new here at Daniweb. So, hello all of you :cheesy: !! . Now, to my question. In school, I'm being taught programs which all use "void main()". But, I've seen a lot of code using int main(). I asked my teacher about this but she has no idea what she's teaching. She told me "Because its the way it should be done " . I said(to myself), " What the heck !? " Without any reason ? There should be a reason for everything. So, can anybody tell me ?
Well, I've one more question. I'm presently using Turbo C++ IDE to code. I tried using Dev-C++ yesterday and I found out that it doesnt even accept void main() and that it doesnt like having ".h" in the end of header files as in <iostream.h>. I figured out why "using namespace std" is used. But, I cant figure out the other doubts. Pls help me.
Well, I've one more question. I'm presently using Turbo C++ IDE to code. I tried using Dev-C++ yesterday and I found out that it doesnt even accept void main() and that it doesnt like having ".h" in the end of header files as in <iostream.h>. I figured out why "using namespace std" is used. But, I cant figure out the other doubts. Pls help me.
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It has to do with the C++ standard. The standard says, "use int", so that's what you should use. The reason you should use int is, void main is not necessarily accepted by every compiler.
Last edited by Rashakil Fol; Nov 9th, 2006 at 4:00 pm.
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> but she has no idea what she's teaching.
We get that a lot.
http://faq.cprogramming.com/cgi-bin/...&id=1043284376
It's only crappy DOS compilers which ever had this, presumably because DOS was so crappy at dealing with the return value that nobody ever cared.
All real compilers only accept int main, which is the only standard you should be worrying about.
We get that a lot.
http://faq.cprogramming.com/cgi-bin/...&id=1043284376
It's only crappy DOS compilers which ever had this, presumably because DOS was so crappy at dealing with the return value that nobody ever cared.
All real compilers only accept int main, which is the only standard you should be worrying about.
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Originally Posted by astrojith 
that it doesnt like having ".h" in the end of header files as in <iostream.h>. I figured out why "using namespace std" is used.
iostream replaced iostream.h like 10 years ago, and since then, you should either use "using namespace std;" or prefix any standard template objects with std::. "Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal."
All my posts may be freely redistributed under the terms of the MIT license.
All my posts may be freely redistributed under the terms of the MIT license.
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Junior Poster
Using int for a function isually means it returns an integer value.
Using void usually means it wont return an integer value.
Using void usually means it wont return an integer value.
MARTINEX();
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Originally Posted by chunkmartinez
Using void usually means it wont return an integer value.
Don't PM me with questions -- you might get a nasty PM in response. If you have a question then post it in one of the forums.
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Originally Posted by Salem
It's only crappy DOS compilers which ever had this,
void main() without a problem to this day, doesn't it? And OS/2's compiler didn't complain, either, if memory serves.•
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Originally Posted by Salem
...presumably because DOS was so crappy at dealing with the return value that nobody ever cared.
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Originally Posted by Salem
All real compilers only accept int main, which is the only standard you should be worrying about.
The 3 Laws of the Procrastination Society:
1) Never do today that which can be put off until tomorrow
2) Tomorrow never comes
1) Never do today that which can be put off until tomorrow
2) Tomorrow never comes
Oh, and I thought they were the same. That teacher doesnt know what sh's teaching. But, well, no other choice I guess. Thank y'all for telling me this.
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Junior Poster in Training
int main() is used to return 0 at the end. This 0 is returned to the Operating system to denote that the function main() - which is the only function called by the operating system and that's why its so special - has completed successfully. Always use int main() and return 0 at the end of it. Dont use void
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