function recursion

[Ferdinando]

Hi NG,

in a ANSI-C program I use a function <fi_load()>, wich is called recursive appending of new data. The program normally never ends and <fi_load()> calls himself again and again...

- Is this a problem, because the program must remeber all of the returns/recursion-adresses?
- May it cause an overflow?
- What is a better way in ANSI-C?

This is a sample-code to show, what I mean:

int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
	fi_load("index.pts");
	return 0;
}

int fi_load(char* file[])
{
	char str_next[80];

	<... read file and do something ...>
	<... if an error occurs : return 1>
	<... get name of next file to process : str_next>
	
:confused:	fi_load(str_next);

	return 0;
}

Thanks in advance,
Ferdinando

[cma]

There's no terminating condition in the function. In order for recursion to work properly, there has to be a terminating condition and the data you pass to the function being called recursively has to approach the terminating condition. And yes, very deep recursion can cause stack exhaustion.

[Ferdinando]

Originally posted by cma
There's no terminating condition in the function. In order for recursion to work properly, there has to be a terminating condition and the data you pass to the function being called recursively has to approach the terminating condition. And yes, very deep recursion can cause stack exhaustion.

There is a terminating condition, but only if an error occurs...

I know that this is not enough, but how can I implement a better recursion?

F.E. I have got 5 files FILE1, FILE2 .. FILE5
Each of this FILE contains a pointer to the next file to process.
F.E. (in real it is appending of user-inputs...)
FILE1 => FILE2
FILE2 => FILE3
...
FILE5 => FILE1

As you see, the chain never ends and I must process each file with the same code/function.

How can I do it better?

Thanks again,
Ferdinando

[Guysl]

sounds as a loop job to me.
why do you insist of a recursive function?

[HeartBreakKid]

Use a loop, until you have processed all the files.... Then you don't need the recursive call at all (just call the function once to load each file)..

MyFILE* f = (first file)...;

do
{
    load(f);
    f = f->next;
} while(f);

[Ferdinando]

Originally posted by HeartBreakKid
Use a loop, until you have processed all the files.... Then you don't need the recursive call at all (just call the function once to load each file)..

MyFILE* f = (first file)...;

do
{
    load(f);
    f = f->next;
} while(f);

A very good idea instead of recusion...
Since I started again with ANSI-C I am a big blockhead

Thanks again,
Ferdinando