From a0549b4a15a7093f990fffa4bc1d2d52ec1c16e2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Hanna Mendes Levitin Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 03:37:07 -0600 Subject: docs, now with style --- docs/source/lang/cpp/static.rst | 57 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 57 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/source/lang/cpp/static.rst (limited to 'docs/source/lang/cpp/static.rst') diff --git a/docs/source/lang/cpp/static.rst b/docs/source/lang/cpp/static.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5d1802e --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/lang/cpp/static.rst @@ -0,0 +1,57 @@ +.. highlight:: cpp + +.. _lang-static: + +``static`` +========== + +The ``static`` keyword can be used to create variables that are +visible to only one function. However, unlike local variables that get +created and destroyed every time a function is called, ``static`` +variables persist beyond the function call, preserving their data +between function calls. + +Variables declared as ``static`` will only be created and initialized +the first time a function is called. + +.. note:: This is only one use of the ``static`` keyword in C++. It + has some other important uses that are not documented here; consult + a reliable C++ reference for details. + +Example +------- + +One use case for ``static`` variables is implementing counters that +last longer than the functions which need them, but shouldn't be +shared to other functions. Here's an example:: + + void setup() { + SerialUSB.begin(); + } + + void loop() { + int reading; + if (timeToReadSensors()) { + reading = readSensors(); + } + // do something with reading + } + + int readSensors() { + static int numSensorReadings = 0; + numSensorReadings++; + if (numSensorReadings % 100 == 0) { + SerialUSB.print("just got to another 100 sensor readings"); + } + return analogRead(...); + } + +In this example, the static variable ``numSensorReadings`` is +initialized to zero the first time ``readSensors()`` is called, and +then incremented, so it starts out at one. Subsequent calls to +``readSensors()`` won't reset ``numSensorReadings`` to zero, because +it was declared ``static``. Thus, ``numSensorReadings`` is a count of +the number of times that ``readSensors()`` has been called. + + +.. include:: cc-attribution.txt -- cgit v1.2.3