Pointers to Procedures
Pointers that point to procedures
Just as pointers can be made to point to an `Integer` or `Single` type, pointers can also point to procedures, that is, they can store the address of a procedure.
Declaration
To declare a pointer to procedure, use the `Sub` or `Function` keywords, followed by any parameters and return value type:
`
' declares a pointer to sub procedure that takes no arguments
Dim pointerToProcedure As Sub
`
Procedure pointers store procedure addresses, which are retrieved using `Operator @` (Address of) or the `Procptr Operator`:
`
'' pfunc.bi
Function Add (a As Integer, b As Integer) As Integer
Return a + b
End Function
Dim pFunc As Function (As Integer, As Integer) As Integer = @Add
`
Calling a procedure pointer
The interesting thing about procedure pointers is that they can be called just like a procedure:
`
'' .. Add and pFunc as before ..
#include Once "pfunc.bi"
Print "3 + 4 = " & pFunc(3, 4)
`
For a calling example of subroutine pointer, see the `Operator @ (Address Of)` page.
Note: When calling a procedure through a procedure pointer, parentheses surrounding the argument list (even empty) are mandatory to resolve ambiguity with a simple access to the pointer value.
Passing procedure pointers to procedures
Passing procedure pointers to other procedures is similar as well:
`
'' .. Add and pFunc as before ..
#include Once "pfunc.bi"
Function DoOperation (a As Integer, b As Integer, operation As Function (As Integer, As Integer) As Integer) As Integer
Return operation(a, b)
End Function
Print "3 + 4 = " & DoOperation(3, 4, @Add)
`
Because procedure pointer declarations can be lengthy, it often helps to create a type alias for the procedure pointer, in an effort to make clearer code:
`
'' .. Add and pFunc as before ..
#include Once "pfunc.bi"
Type operation As Function (As Integer, As Integer) As Integer
Function DoOperation (a As Integer, b As Integer, op As operation) As Integer
Return op(a, b)
End Function
Print "3 + 4 = " & DoOperation(3, 4, @Add)
`
Pointers to procedure pointers
Because the syntax of a procedure pointer does not allow declaration of a pointer to procedure pointer when the procedure is a function (because ptr applies on return type and not on procedure), a type alias is used. Notice how it is necessary to surround a dereferenced pointer to procedure pointer by parenthesis when calling the procedure. This is because the function-call operator '()' has higher precedence than `Operator *` (Value of):
`
Function Halve (ByVal i As Integer) As Integer
Return i / 2
End Function
Function Triple (ByVal i As Integer) As Integer
Return i * 3
End Function
Type operation As Function (ByVal As Integer) As Integer
' an array of procedure pointers, NULL indicates the
' end of the array
Dim operations(20) As operation = _
{ @Halve, @Triple, 0 }
Dim i As Integer = 280
' apply all of the operations to a variable by iterating through the array
' with a pointer to procedure pointer
Dim op As operation Ptr = @operations(0)
While (*op <> 0)
' call the procedure that is pointed to, note the extra parenthesis
i = (*op)(i)
op += 1
Wend
Print "Value of 'i' after all operations performed: " & i
`
Pointers to member procedures
Method pointers are not implemented yet, but it is possible to work-around that by using a static wrapper:
`
/''
' This example shows how you can simulate getting a class method pointer,
' until support is properly implemented in the compiler.
'
' When this is supported, you will only need to remove the static wrapper
' function presented here, to maintain compatibility.
'/
Type T
Declare Function test(ByVal number As Integer) As Integer
Declare Static Function test(ByRef This As T, ByVal number As Integer) As Integer
Dim As Integer i = 420
End Type
Function T.test(ByVal number As Integer) As Integer
Return i + number
End Function
Function T.test(ByRef This As T, ByVal number As Integer) As Integer
Return this.test(number)
End Function
Dim p As Function(ByRef As T, ByVal As Integer) As Integer
p = @T.test
Dim As T obj
Print p(obj, 69) '' prints 489
`
Typing rule for procedure pointer declaration
The procedure pointer declaration allows to assign to the pointer:

- not only a procedure with the same parameters types, and if any, the same result type,
- but also a procedure with contravariant byref (or by pointer) parameters or/and a covariant byref (or by pointer) result.

`
'Example of assigning to a function pointer a function with a contravariant parameter and a covariant result.
Type A
Dim As Integer I
End Type
Type B Extends A
Dim As Integer J
End Type
Function f (ByRef a0 As A) As B Ptr
Print "instance of B created"
Return New B(a0)
End Function
Dim As Function (ByRef As B) As A Ptr pf = @f
Dim As B b0
Dim As A Ptr pab = pf(b0)
Sleep
Delete CPtr(B Ptr, pab)
`
See also

- `Sub`
- `Function`
- `Pointer`
- `Operator @ (Address Of)`
- `Procptr Operator`