Question

Is this the correct syntax for passing a file pointer by reference?

Function call: printNew(&fpt);

printNew(FILE **fpt)
{        
   //change to fpt in here kept after function exits?
}

Answer 1

No. The correct syntax is

void printNew(FILE *&fpt)
{        
   //change to fpt in here kept after function exits?
}

Your code will only change the local pointer to a FILE pointer. Only changes to *fpt are seen by the caller in your code. If you change it to the above, things are passed by reference and changes are promoted like intended. The corresponding argument is passed as usual

printNew(fpt);