What is actually passed if you pass a structure variable to a function...
Yes. If you pass a structure variable by value without & operator, only a copy of the variable is passed. So changes made within that function do not reflect in the original variable.
What is actually passed if you pass a structure variable to a function...
When a structure variable is passed to a function, a copy of the structure variable is actually passed. This means that the function receives a duplicate of the original structure variable, and any modifications made to the structure within the function do not affect the original variable.
Explanation:
Here is a detailed explanation of the answer:
1. Copy of structure variable:
When a structure variable is passed to a function, a copy of the structure variable is made and passed to the function. This is done to ensure that the original structure variable remains unchanged.
2. Passing by value:
In C programming, arguments are typically passed to functions by value. This means that the value of the argument is copied and passed to the function. In the case of a structure variable, the entire structure is copied and passed to the function.
3. Modifying the copy:
Since a copy of the structure variable is passed to the function, any modifications made to the structure within the function only affect the copy and not the original variable. This is an important concept to understand when working with structures in functions.
4. Returning the modified copy:
If the function needs to modify the structure variable and return the modified value, it can do so by returning the modified copy of the structure. The original structure variable remains unchanged unless the modified copy is assigned back to it.
In conclusion, when a structure variable is passed to a function, a copy of the structure variable is actually passed. This allows the function to work with the structure without affecting the original variable. It is important to understand this concept when working with structures in functions to avoid unexpected behavior and ensure the desired results.