How to solve the problem of the return value of the c language function being ignored

The return value of C language function is ignored because programmers lack attention to function design and call, which leads to program logic errors, difficulty in debugging, and even security vulnerabilities. To avoid this "silent disaster", you should carefully check the return value of each function; use assertions to check; design robust functions to provide error handling mechanisms; improve code readability and reduce error occurrence.

The return value of C function is ignored: a silent disaster

Many C programmers have experienced this helplessness: they worked hard to write a function and returned an important value, but the caller turned a blind eye and ignored the return value directly. It's like you carefully prepare a big meal but find that the guests leave without even looking at it. Can you feel good? This article will talk about this issue and how to avoid this "silent disaster".

Let’s talk about the conclusion first: The most fundamental reason why the function return value is ignored is that the programmer lacks enough attention to function design and call, and does not understand the meaning of the return value, and the possible consequences it may bring. This often leads to program logic errors, difficulty in debugging, and even unpredictable security vulnerabilities.

Let's review the basics of C functions. The return value of a function is the result of the completion of the function execution. It can be any data type, including integers, floating point numbers, pointers, and even structures. The return value is a bridge between the function and the caller. It passes the result of the function execution, allowing the caller to perform subsequent operations based on this result. If the return value is ignored, it is equivalent to cutting off the bridge, and the caller will not be able to know the execution result of the function, and there may be problems with the logic of the program.

To give a simple example: a function is responsible for reading an integer from a file. If the reading fails, it should return an error code; if the reading is successful, it should return the read integer. If the caller ignores the return value, it cannot tell whether the read is successful and may continue to use an invalid value, causing the program to crash or produce an incorrect result.

Look at a piece of code and experience this "silent disaster":

 <code class="c">#include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> int readFile(const char *filename, int *value) { FILE *fp = fopen(filename, "r"); if (fp == NULL) return -1; // 读取失败int ret = fscanf(fp, "%d", value); fclose(fp); if (ret != 1) return -2; // 格式错误或其他读取失败return 0; // 读取成功} int main() { int num; // 忽略返回值，潜在的灾难！ readFile("data.txt", &num); printf("读取到的数字是: %d\n", num); // 可能输出垃圾值return 0; }</stdlib.h></stdio.h></code>

In this code, the readFile function returns three values: 0 means success, -1 means file opening failed, and -2 means read failed. However, main function directly ignores the return value, which will cause the program to continue to execute when data.txt does not exist or is incorrect in format, output an unpredictable value, and even cause the program to crash.

So how to avoid this situation?

Carefully check the return value of each function: This sounds like a cliché, but it is the most important. Develop good programming habits, read the documentation of each function carefully, understand the meaning of its return value, and check the return value immediately after calling the function.

Check with assert: During the debugging phase, you can use assert to check whether the return value is as expected. If the return value does not meet expectations, the assertion terminates the execution of the program and prints an error message, which helps quickly locate the problem.

Design a robust function: When writing a function, you must fully consider various possible error situations and provide corresponding error handling mechanisms, such as returning an error code, setting an error flag, etc. Ensure that the return value of the function clearly reflects its execution results.

Improve code readability: Writing clear and easy-to-understand code and adding necessary comments can improve the maintainability and readability of the code, thereby reducing the occurrence of errors.

In short, ignoring the return value of the C function is like driving in the dark, full of risks. Develop the habit of carefully checking the return value, write robust functions, and use appropriate tools to debug, so as to avoid this "silent disaster" and write more reliable and robust C programs. Remember that a small negligence can lead to huge losses.

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