Inline Functions-What are they good for? - c++

D. Susman wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Isn't the whole point of inline functions "to try to eliminate
> function call overhead by simply substituting the call with the
> function body"? And I know it is a safer substitution than macros.
>
> But I came across this paragraph below in the site "Programming in C+
> +, Rules and Recommendations" and got confused:
>
> "Functions, which invoke other inline functions, often become too
> complex for the compiler to be able to make them inline despite their
> apparent smallness."
>
> If so, what are inline functions good for? For accessor methods
> mostly?
>

Inline, as it literally means, the code is expanded on the spot where is
function is called.
The cost of creating a new stack frame is kinda expensive;
the expansion eliminates the function call, so no new stack frame is needed.

Cons: Inline function increases the binary size of the program, as it
expands each time when it called.


--
Thanks
Barry

On 2007-09-21 10:35:39 -0400, Barry <dhb2000@gmail.com> said:

>
> Cons: Inline function increases the binary size of the program, as it
> expands each time when it called.

Not necessarily. If a function is simple enough (for example, returning
the value of a data member of a class), it's inline expansion can be
shorter than the corresponding function call.

--
Pete
Roundhouse Consulting, Ltd. (www.versatilecoding.com) Author of "The
Standard C++ Library Extensions: a Tutorial and Reference
(www.petebecker.com/tr1book)

D. Susman wrote:
:: Hi,
::
:: Isn't the whole point of inline functions "to try to eliminate
:: function call overhead by simply substituting the call with the
:: function body"? And I know it is a safer substitution than macros.
::
:: But I came across this paragraph below in the site "Programming in
:: C+ +, Rules and Recommendations" and got confused:
::
:: "Functions, which invoke other inline functions, often become too
:: complex for the compiler to be able to make them inline despite
:: their apparent smallness."

Where did the "often" come from?

In my experience, it is rather "occationally". And compilers improve
all the time.


Bo Persson