I have two questions when it comes to using the % operator: Is it modulus or modulo? And which value comes first?
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Programs often ask questions: yes-or-no and multiple choice. The user must select one of the given options, which I refer to as forcing a decision. Your goal as programmer is to pester the user to input a valid choice.
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It’s possible to return a string created in a function without declaring it static. This trick requires some understanding of how functions return values. Nerd alert!
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In last week’s post, I updated information I had originally written about the useful getline() function. The topic is worthy of further exploration, specifically with the mechanics behind the function’s internal allocation — and reallocation — of memory.
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Back in early 2015, I wrote about the getline() function, which is a handy way to read a string. I’ve been informed that my post is the top result for a Google search on getline() — and I have an update!
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A launched thread can be passed an argument, similar to any function. And the thread can return a value, just like any function. But while the thread runs, options for communications are rather limited.
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If you’re like me, you’re probably more familiar with the concept of pipes at the command prompt than in a programming environment. Or maybe you don’t care either way. Regardless, both types of pipe are similar forms of communications, but programming pipes seem specifically weird to me.
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A thread ends in one of three ways: natural causes, an early exit, or sudden death. Yes, it’s exciting, but no more than any aspect of programming.
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Threads in your code go off and do their own thing, running independently from other parts of the code. Still, the thread is established as a function in your source code file. Like any function, it can leave early.
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In last week’s Lesson, a program spawned a single thread. This thread runs at the same time as the main program, interrupting text input (if you let it). Such fun! But a multithreaded program isn’t limited to running just two threads. Your code can spawn multiple threads, each running simultaneously.
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