About default C struct values, what about this code?

Question

I\'m trying to create structs with default values. I don\'t know how to accomplish this because every code that I see, is about initialising, and I would it for the natural

Answer 1

Can't initialize values within a structure definition.

I'd suggest:

typedef struct {
   int stuff_a;
   int stuff_b;
} stuff ;

int stuffInit(int a, int b, stuff *this){
   this->stuff_a = a;
   this->stuff_b = b;
   return 0; /*or an error code, or sometimes '*this', per taste.*/
}


int main(void){
   stuff myStuff;
   stuffInit(1, 2, &myStuff);

   /* dynamic is more commonly seen */
   stuff *dynamicStuff;
   dynamicStuff = malloc(sizeof(stuff));  /* 'new' stuff */
   stuffInit(0, 0, dynamicStuff);
   free(dynamicStuff);                    /* 'delete' stuff */

   return 0;
}

Before the days of Object Oriented Programming (C++), we were taught "Abstract Data Types".

The discipline said 'never access your data structures directly, always create a function for it' But this was only enforced by the programmer, instructor, or senior developer, not the language.

Eventually, the structure definition(s) and corresponding functions end up in their own file & header, linked in later, further encapsulating the design.

But those days are gone and replaced with 'Class' and 'Constructor' OOP terminology.

"It's all the same, only the names have changed" - Bon Jovi.