Dtyjlui

Is it possible to modify the contents of the memory address of the return value of a function? functions return the value of a locally defined variable.

In the following example, compiled for my machine (x86-64) without warnings:

#include <stdio.h>



int get_val1()

{

  int ret = 1;

  return ret;

}



int get_val2()

{

  int ret = 2;

  return ret;

}



int get_val3()

{

  int ret = 3;

  return ret;

}



void redefine_ints(int *val1, int *val2, int *val3) {

  *val1 = 10;

  *val2 = 11;

  *val3 = 12;

}



void print_and_redefine_ints(int val1, int val2, int val3) {

  printf("val1 %d val2 %d val3 %dn", val1, val2, val3);

  redefine_ints(&val1, &val2, &val3);

  printf("rval1 %d rval2 %d rval3 %dn", val1, val2, val3);

}



int main()

{

  print_and_redefine_ints(get_val1(), get_val2(), get_val3());

  return 0;

}

I get the next output:

val1 1 val2 2 val3 3

rval1 10 rval2 11 rval3 12

This is the expected output, but how is it possible? Where are these variables stored?

A draw may explain more than some text. I'll use only 1 get_val1() in that example.

print_and_redefine_ints(get_val1());

                           |

                           |

                         [CALL]

                           |

                           |

                           V

                    int get_val1()

                    {

                        int ret = 1;<----------------------------------------------------+

                        return ret;                                                      |

                    }      |                                                             |

                           |                                                             |

                    [COPY OF VALUE]                                                      |

                           |                                                             |

                           |                                                             |

                           +---+                                                         |

                               |                                                         |

                               |                                                         |

                               V                                                         |

void print_and_redefine_ints(int val1) {                                                 |

    printf("val1 %dn");        ^                                                        |

    redefine_ints(&val1);       |                                                        |

                    |           +--------------------------------------------+           |

                    |                                                        |           |

          [POINTER AKA REFERENCE]                                            |           |

                    |                                                        |           |

                     |                                                       |           |

                      V                                                      |           |

void redefine_ints(int *val1) {                                              |           |

    *val1 = 10; //<---- the value is changed, then its referenced value (this one, NOT THIS ONE) is changed too

}                     |

                      |

                      +---+

                          |

                    [VALUE CHANGED]

                          |

                          |

                          V

    printf("rval1 %dn", val1);

    printf("original val1 %dn", get_val1()); //if you add this line, you'll notice the returned value of get_val1() is still 1

}

Yes this is well-defined C.

The anonymous temporary ints created by get_val...() have a lifetime contemporaneous with the entire statement in which they are created.

But note that you take a value copy of each of these ints when you call print_and_redefine_ints so there's nothing particularly special going on here.

(Note that you would not be able to bind pointers to the anonymous temporary ints to int* function parameters though.)

Is it possible to modify the contents of the memory address of the return (value) of a function?

No, it is not.

However, that is not the case here. In your code, the return values of get_val<n>() function calls are stored in the function parameters int val1, int val2, int val3. They are local to the called function. The lifetime of those variables are the function execution period.

Quoting C11, chapter §6.2.1,

[...] If the declarator or type specifier that
declares the identifier appears inside a block or within the list of parameter declarations in
a function definition, the identifier has block scope, which terminates at the end of the
associated block. [....]

and, from §6.9.1, Function definition,

Each parameter has automatic storage duration; its identifier is an lvalue

Thus, just like any other local variable, you can modify the content of those variables using their address.