C++ experts, please come in and help (dec 14 09)

Hi,

Yesterday, when I explored the source code of the engine, I ran into the code below:

typedef const char *(*) StringCallback (SimObject *obj, S32 argc, const char *argv[])

this is the link to the TGEA document http://docs.torquepowered.com/tgea/official/content/documentation/Engine%20Reference/a04938.html

Under Typedefs, it is the first line of code.


Here is my thinking:

1) First, I know typedef is used to give a data type a new name, for example:

typedef int Mytype

so, in the code, I can write

Mytype num = 9;

Instead of

int num = 9;

However, this cannot be applied to

typedef const char *(*) StringCallback (SimObject *obj, S32 argc, const char *argv[])

2) Second, I think this may be a function pointer, for example

int (*funcpt) (int, int)

where funcpt is a pointer to a type of function that returns an int value and takes in two int values

If the line of code were

typedef const char * (*StringCallback) (SimObject *obj, S32 argc, const char *argv[])

Then, I can say StringCallback is a function pointer with:

Inputs => SimObject * obj, S32 argc, const char *argv[])
Output => char*

But this is not the case unfortunately

Just now, I tried to ask everyone in my company (they do C++ for living), but not a single one came up with a reasonable answer.

Can someone explain this to me?

Thanks