Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Yes
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
When writing variadic functions in C (functions with an ellipsis ... such as printf), the header stdarg.h provides macros to traverse the unnamed arguments. Understanding va_list, va_start, va_arg, and va_end is fundamental for safe and portable code.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The canonical pattern is: declare va_list ap; call va_start(ap, last_named_param); repeatedly fetch each argument by calling va_arg(ap, type); finally call va_end(ap). Each call to va_arg both returns the current argument (converted as if by default argument promotions) and advances the internal pointer so the next call fetches the following argument.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Declare va_list ap.Initialize with va_start(ap, last_named_param).Obtain first extra value with va_arg(ap, expected_type).Each additional va_arg moves the internal cursor forward to the next unnamed argument.Finish with va_end(ap) to clean up.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by instrumenting a variadic function that prints two integers and a double. Each va_arg retrieves one value in sequence and subsequent calls advance to the next argument.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
No: Incorrect; va_arg is precisely for extracting and advancing.Only available from C99: Not true; stdarg.h and va_arg predate C99.It retrieves only size: Wrong; it returns the actual value as the specified type.None of the above: Not applicable since “Yes” is correct.
Common Pitfalls:
Using the wrong type in va_arg, omitting va_end, or attempting to re-read the same argument after moving past it.
Final Answer:
Yes
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