Re: Big Deal with returning int

Discussion in 'C++' started by Rolf Magnus, Jun 29, 2003.

  1. Rolf Magnus

    Rolf Magnus Guest

    Min wrote:

    > I have seen so many pointing out "main" should explicitly return
    > "int". Beside, the language spec or committee, or some guru said so,
    > what is a BIG deal with it ? What difference does it make if "void
    > main" rather than "int main" ?

    void main() is just plain wrong. Some compilers support it as an
    (actually unneccesary) extension to the language, so on those specific
    compilers, it might work, but that's not guaranteed. The stanard C++
    language (as C) _never_ permited any other return type than int. This
    rule is older than some programmers, and still there are people who get
    it wrong. Btw, if everyone keeps telling you that void main() is wrong,
    what's the big deal about changing it to int and just using that?

    > It is not that some obscure code that people can't understand
    > easily. Anyway, would someone explain why ;? not just it is better to
    > return explicitly.
    > Or How is it possibly cause the problem ?

    A compiler may not accept it, and it is supposed to issue at least a
    warning if you try to return void from main. Also, on many systems, the
    exit code (i.e. the value returned from main) is important for the
    parent process. If you return void, the parent may get garbage instead
    of a reasonable return code. A system also is (from the C++ standard's
    POV) allowed to crash completely if no sensible value is returned. I
    don't actually know a system that does that, but this means nothing.

    > PS: I am saying this because most of C++ books I found, uses "void
    > main". If they can't get this fundamental thing right, I guess, I have
    > been reading all the garbage from them.

    I see it the same way. If some C++ book or tutorial has examples that
    contain "void main", I'd throw it away. As you say, if they don't get
    such a fundamental and simple thing right (or just don't know that it's
    wrong), then they probably don't know the C++ language very well, and
    other more severe flaws are likely to be lurking there.
    Rolf Magnus, Jun 29, 2003
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