Type of function returning function.

[Will Crowder]

In article <1990Jul10.024205.17382 at media.uucp> rmf at media.uucp (Roger Fujii) writes:
>So, just how does one type a function returning a pointer to a function?
>(other than the obvious void *)
>
>Example:
>
>int foo(buff)
>char	*buff;
>{
>	return atoi(buff);
>}
>
>TYPE bar()
>{
>	return foo;
>}
>
>I would have thought that it would be something like
>int ((*)()), but gcc doesn't agree.  Help...
>
>-- 
>Roger Fujii - Media Cybernetics		Phone: (301)495-3305
>Internet: rmf%media at uunet.uu.net 	UUCP: {uunet,hqda-ai}!media!rmf

These are a pain.

int (*bar())();

ought to do it for you though.  I'm sure it's been discussed here before,
but there exists something called the "right-left" rule for deciphering
and creating C declarations, and it comes in quite handy.  If you haven't
heard of it, ask your local C guru or e-mail me, and I'll be happy to
explain it.

OBTW, if you want a full prototype, based on what you have above, it would
be:

int (*bar(void))(char *);

and the typedef would be:

typedef int (*TYPE(void))(char *);

or

typedef int (*TYPE())();

without the prototypes.

Hope this helps,

Will