Unlocking the Power of C++: A Deeper Look at Structures and Functions

The Program: Calculating Time Differences

Let’s dive into a practical example that showcases the capabilities of C++ structures and functions. Imagine a program that calculates the difference between two time periods. The user is prompted to input two time periods, which are then stored in structure variables t1 and t2, respectively.

struct Time {
    int hours;
    int minutes;
    int seconds;
};

int main() {
    Time t1, t2;

    // Input time periods from the user
    std::cout << "Enter time period 1 (HH:MM:SS): ";
    std::cin >> t1.hours >> t1.minutes >> t1.seconds;

    std::cout << "Enter time period 2 (HH:MM:SS): ";
    std::cin >> t2.hours >> t2.minutes >> t2.seconds;

    computeTimeDifference(t1, t2);

    return 0;
}

The Magic of computeTimeDifference()

The computeTimeDifference() function is where the real magic happens. This function takes the two time periods as input and calculates their difference. But here’s the twist – it doesn’t return the result. Instead, it uses call by reference to display the output directly from the main() function.

void computeTimeDifference(Time& t1, Time& t2) {
    int totalSeconds1 = t1.hours * 3600 + t1.minutes * 60 + t1.seconds;
    int totalSeconds2 = t2.hours * 3600 + t2.minutes * 60 + t2.seconds;

    int difference = abs(totalSeconds1 - totalSeconds2);

    int hours = difference / 3600;
    int minutes = (difference % 3600) / 60;
    int seconds = difference % 60;

    std::cout << "Time difference: " << hours << ":" << minutes << ":" << seconds << std::endl;
}

A Closer Look at the Code

The program’s logic is straightforward. The user inputs two time periods, which are stored in t1 and t2. The computeTimeDifference() function is called, passing t1 and t2 as arguments. The function calculates the difference and displays the result without returning it.

What’s Next?

Now that you’ve seen how C++ structures and functions can be used to calculate time differences, it’s time to take your skills further. Explore other applications of structures and functions, such as:

• Using difftime() to calculate time intervals
• Implementing more complex data structures, such as linked lists or trees
• Creating reusable functions for various tasks, such as input validation or error handling

The possibilities are endless!