Menu
Possible Duplicate:
What is a callback function?
I have read the wikipedia definition of a callback but I still didn't get it. Can anyone explain me what a callback is, especially the following line
In computer programming, a callback is a reference to executable code, or a piece of executable code, that is passed as an argument to other code. This allows a lower-level software layer to call a subroutine (or function) defined in a higher-level layer.
534
A CallBack Function is a function that is passed into another function as an argument and is expected to execute after some kind of event. The purpose of the callback function is to inform a class Sync/Async if some work in another class is done. This is very useful when working with Asynchronous tasks.
Simply put: A callback is a function that is to be executed after another function has finished executing — hence the name 'call back'.
"I will call back later!" A callback is a function passed as an argument to another function. This technique allows a function to call another function. A callback function can run after another function has finished.
A callback function is a function that is passed as an argument to another function, to be “called back” at a later time. A function that accepts other functions as arguments is called a higher-order function, which contains the logic for when the callback function gets executed.
Callbacks are most easily described in terms of the telephone system. A function call is analogous to calling someone on a telephone, asking her a question, getting an answer, and hanging up; adding a callback changes the analogy so that after asking her a question, you also give her your name and number so she can call you back with the answer.
Paul Jakubik, Callback Implementations in C++.
101
Maybe an example would help.
Your app wants to download a file from some remote computer and then write to to a local disk. The remote computer is the other side of a dial-up modem and a satellite link. The latency and transfer time will be huge and you have other things to do. So, you have a function/method that will write a buffer to disk. You pass a pointer to this method to your network API, together with the remote URI and other stuff. This network call returns 'immediately' and you can do your other stuff. 30 seconds later, the first buffer from the remote computer arrives at the network layer. The network layer then calls the function that you passed during the setup and so the buffer gets written to disk - the network layer has 'called back'. Note that, in this example, the callback would happen on a network layer thread than the originating thread, but that does not matter - the buffer still gets written to the disk.
27
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With
