Question

I am wondering if how I can write a function to detect the parameter type, value and function name and return value of another function.

For example. I have a function:

double average(string datapath, double *data, int numofinput)
{
   // some code here
}

I want to have another function, such as detector(), which can be inserted into the function to be detected, like

double average(string datapath, double *data, int numofinput)
{

   // some code here
   detector();
}

and the detector will return:

name: average
returned value: 2.43
pathname: string='C:/Users/Nick/Data/'
data: pointer=0x0065
numofinput: int=17

Somthing like that. Any suggestion is highly appreciated. Thanks.
Nick

Answer 1

In general this can’t be done:

• detector would need to show the return value before you actually return anything, which is same as mind reading
• when a binary is built, the names of the functions are not available inside it (in general, except for exports)
• your average function might not be a function at all, as compiler could inline it.

For specific cases, however, you could be able to get this information – under assumption that you have debug symbols available, which in general you don’t.