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Q&A Should I cast to (void) when I do not use the return value

This is a bit opinionated, but personally, I would not do it. It would just clutter the code and could hide sources of bugs. But it depends a lot on what function it is. It's also hard to give a ve...

posted 4y ago by klutt‭  ·  edited 4y ago by klutt‭

Answer
#3: Post edited by user avatar klutt‭ · 2020-08-14T12:04:07Z (over 4 years ago)
  • This is a bit opinionated, but personally, I would definitely not do it. It would just clutter the code and could hide sources of bugs. But it depends a lot on what function it is.
  • It's also hard to give a very general answer to this. In many cases, the proper answer is "No, you should instead use the return value, because if you don't, you have no way of knowing if the function succeeded or not". So if you're casting away the result of `scanf`, then you're doing something wrong.
  • Casting is basically just a way of telling the compiler "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." I have seen lots of examples where people are trying to find bugs where a warning would have given them a very good clue, but since they are casting, the compiler yields no warning.
  • It's not necessarily a bad thing, but never use casting as your goto solution to make the compiler shut up. Always think it through carefully before you do it.
  • If you don't want to see a particular warning, use compiler flags to turn it off.
  • This is a bit opinionated, but personally, I would not do it. It would just clutter the code and could hide sources of bugs. But it depends a lot on what function it is.
  • It's also hard to give a very general answer to this. In many cases, the proper answer is "No, you should instead use the return value, because if you don't, you have no way of knowing if the function succeeded or not". So if you're casting away the result of `scanf`, then you're doing something wrong.
  • Casting is basically just a way of telling the compiler "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." I have seen lots of examples where people are trying to find bugs where a warning would have given them a very good clue, but since they are casting, the compiler yields no warning.
  • It's not necessarily a bad thing, but never use casting as your goto solution to make the compiler shut up. Always think it through carefully before you do it. Remember that warnings are there to help you.
  • If you don't want to see a particular warning, consider using compiler flags to turn it off.
#2: Post edited by user avatar klutt‭ · 2020-08-14T12:01:11Z (over 4 years ago)
  • This is a bit opinionated, but personally, I would definitely not do it. It would just clutter the code and could hide sources of bugs.
  • It's also hard to give a very general answer to this. In many cases, the proper answer is "No, you should instead use the return value, because if you don't, you have no way of knowing if the function succeeded or not".
  • Casting is basically just a way of telling the compiler "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." I have seen lots of examples where people are trying to find bugs where a warning would have given them a very good clue, but since they are casting, the compiler yields no warning.
  • If you don't want to see a particular warning, use compiler flags to turn it off.
  • This is a bit opinionated, but personally, I would definitely not do it. It would just clutter the code and could hide sources of bugs. But it depends a lot on what function it is.
  • It's also hard to give a very general answer to this. In many cases, the proper answer is "No, you should instead use the return value, because if you don't, you have no way of knowing if the function succeeded or not". So if you're casting away the result of `scanf`, then you're doing something wrong.
  • Casting is basically just a way of telling the compiler "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." I have seen lots of examples where people are trying to find bugs where a warning would have given them a very good clue, but since they are casting, the compiler yields no warning.
  • It's not necessarily a bad thing, but never use casting as your goto solution to make the compiler shut up. Always think it through carefully before you do it.
  • If you don't want to see a particular warning, use compiler flags to turn it off.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar klutt‭ · 2020-08-14T11:58:51Z (over 4 years ago)
This is a bit opinionated, but personally, I would definitely not do it. It would just clutter the code and could hide sources of bugs.  

It's also hard to give a very general answer to this. In many cases, the proper answer is "No, you should instead use the return value, because if you don't, you have no way of knowing if the function succeeded or not".

Casting is basically just a way of telling the compiler "Trust me, I know what I'm doing." I have seen lots of examples where people are trying to find bugs where a warning would have given them a very good clue, but since they are casting, the compiler yields no warning.

If you don't want to see a particular warning, use compiler flags to turn it off.