CHAPTER

TWENTYTHREE

FUNCTIONS - FIRST STYLE

In this chapter we are going to learn about the next topics :-

Define functions
Call functions
Declare parameters
Send parameters
Main Function
Variables Scope
Return Value
Recursion

23.1 Define Functions

To define new function

Syntax:
func <function_name> [parameters]
Block of statements

Note: No keyword is required to end the function definition.

Example:
func hello
see "Hello from function" + nl

23.2 Call Functions

To call function without parameters, we type the function name then ()

Tip: We can call the function before the function definition and the function code.

Example:

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hello()

func hello
see "Hello from function" + nl

Example:
first() second()

func first see "message from the first function" + nl

func second see "message from the second function" + nl

23.3 Declare parameters

To declare the function parameters, after the function name type the list of parameters as a group of identifiers separated
by comma.
Example:
func sum x,y
see x+y+nl

23.4 Send Parameters

To send parameters to function, type the parameters inside () after the function name
Syntax:
funcname(parameters)

Example:
/* output
** 8
** 3000
*/

sum(3,5) sum(1000,2000)

func sum x,y see x+y+nl

23.5 Main Function

Using the Ring programming language, the Main Function is optional, when its defined, it will be executed after the
end of other statements.
if no other statements comes alone, the main function will be the first entry point
Example:

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# this program will print the hello world message first then execute the main function

See "Hello World!" + nl

func main
see "Message from the main function" + nl

23.6 Variables Scope

The Ring programming language uses lexical scoping to determine the scope of a variable.
Variables defined inside functions (including function parameters) are local variables. Variables defined outside func-
tions (before any function) are global variables.
Inside any function we can access the variables defined inside this function beside the global variables.
Example:
# the program will print numbers from 10 to 1

x = 10 # x is a global variable.

func main

for t = 1 to 10 # t is a local variable

mycounter() # call function
next

func mycounter

see x + nl # print the global variable value

x-- # decrement

Note: Using the main function before the for loop declare the t variable as a local variable, Its recommended to use
the main functions instead of typing the instructions directly to set the scope of the new variables to local.

23.7 Return Value

The function can return a value using the Return command.

Syntax:
Return [Expression]

Tip: the Expression after the return command is optional and we can use the return command to end the function
execution without returning any value.

Note: if the function doesnt return explicit value, it will return NULL (empty string = ).

Example:

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if novalue() = NULL
See "the function doesn't return a value" + nl
ok

func novalue

23.8 Recursion

The Ring programming language support Recursion and the function can call itself using different parameters.
Example:
see fact(5) # output = 120

func fact x if x = 1 return 1 else return x * fact(x-1) ok

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 CHAPTER

TWENTYFOUR

FUNCTIONS - SECOND STYLE

In this chapter we are going to learn about the next topics :-

Define functions
Call functions
Declare parameters
Send parameters
Main Function
Variables Scope
Return Value
Recursion

24.1 Define Functions

To define new function

Syntax:
def <function_name> [parameters]
Block of statements
[end]

Note: the keyword end is optional.

Example:
def hello
put "Hello from function" + nl
end

24.2 Call Functions

To call function without parameters, we type the function name then ()

Tip: We can call the function before the function definition and the function code.

Example:

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hello()

def hello
put "Hello from function" + nl
end

Example:
first() second()

def first put "message from the first function" + nl

def second put "message from the second function" + nl

24.3 Declare parameters

To declare the function parameters, after the function name type the list of parameters as a group of identifiers separated
by comma.
Example:
def sum x,y
put x+y+nl
end

24.4 Send Parameters

To send parameters to function, type the parameters inside () after the function name
Syntax:
funcname(parameters)

Example:
/* output
** 8
** 3000
*/

sum(3,5) sum(1000,2000)

def sum x,y put x+y+nl

24.5 Main Function

Using the Ring programming language, the Main Function is optional, when its defined, it will be executed after the
end of other statements.
if no other statements comes alone, the main function will be the first entry point
Example:

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# this program will print the hello world message first then execute the main function

put "Hello World!" + nl

def main
put "Message from the main function" + nl
end

24.6 Variables Scope

The Ring programming language uses lexical scoping to determine the scope of a variable.
Variables defined inside functions (including function parameters) are local variables. Variables defined outside func-
tions (before any function) are global variables.
Inside any function we can access the variables defined inside this function beside the global variables.
Example:
# the program will print numbers from 10 to 1

x = 10 # x is a global variable.

def main
for t = 1 to 10 # t is a local variable
mycounter() # call function
end
end

def mycounter
put x + nl # print the global variable value
x-- # decrement
end

Note: Using the main function before the for loop declare the t variable as a local variable, Its recommended to use
the main functions instead of typing the instructions directly to set the scope of the new variables to local.

24.7 Return Value

The function can return a value using the Return command.

Syntax:
Return [Expression]

Tip: the Expression after the return command is optional and we can use the return command to end the function
execution without returning any value.

Note: if the function doesnt return explicit value, it will return NULL (empty string = ).

Example:

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if novalue() = NULL
put "the function doesn't return a value" + nl
end

def novalue

24.8 Recursion

The Ring programming language support Recursion and the function can call itself using different parameters.
Example:
put fact(5) # output = 120

def fact x if x = 1 return 1 else return x * fact(x-1) end

24.8. Recursion 162

 CHAPTER

TWENTYFIVE

FUNCTIONS - THIRD STYLE

In this chapter we are going to learn about the next topics :-

Define functions
Call functions
Declare parameters
Send parameters
Main Function
Variables Scope
Return Value
Recursion

25.1 Define Functions

To define new function

Syntax:
func <function_name> [parameters] ['{']
Block of statements
['}']

Example:
load "stdlib.ring"
func hello {
print("Hello from function \n")
}

25.2 Call Functions

To call function without parameters, we type the function name then ()

Tip: We can call the function before the function definition and the function code.

Example:

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load "stdlib.ring"

hello()

func hello {
print("Hello from function \n")
}

Example:
load "stdlib.ring"

first() second()

func first { print("message from the first function \n") }

func second { print("message from the second function \n") }

25.3 Declare parameters

To declare the function parameters, after the function name type the list of parameters as a group of identifiers separated
by comma.
Example:
load "stdlib.ring"

func sum(x,y) {
print(x+y)
}

25.4 Send Parameters

To send parameters to function, type the parameters inside () after the function name
Syntax:
funcname(parameters)

Example:
/* output
** 8
** 3000
*/

load "stdlib.ring"

sum(3,5) sum(1000,2000)

func sum(x,y) { print(x+y) }

25.3. Declare parameters 164