when to use function pointer

[arunmib]

Hi all,
I have a doubt can anybody give me some sort of thumb rule as when can I use function pointers and when not to...From my reading I am able to grasp only the following, What is a function pointer and for usage examples, it used in threading or passing functions as arguments to another function.
Till date I cannot get a clear picture as why should I use it and when should I use it and when I should NOT us it.Can anybody shed some light on it...

[svlsr2000]

Hi all,
I have a doubt can anybody give me some sort of thumb rule as when can I use function pointers and when not to...From my reading I am able to grasp only the following, What is a function pointer and for usage examples, it used in threading or passing functions as arguments to another function.
Till date I cannot get a clear picture as why should I use it and when should I use it and when I should NOT us it.Can anybody shed some light on it...

There is no thumb rule as such in usage of function pointer. You can use function pointer, when you want to use call backs or thread execution. or when you are implementing state machine, ie when u want to call different functions when state of your process changes.

[fantasticamir]

http://www.newty.de/fpt/index.html
http://www.goingware.c om/tips/member-pointers.html

hope it works for you!

[weaknessforcats]

The guideline is simple: Will you decide at run-time which function to call?

If yes, use function pointers. If no, just call the function.

Use of function pointers is the fundamental basis for object-oriented programming. These function pointers are managed by the compiler in a table produced when you declared the functions virtual.

[arunmib]

thanks for the info guys....