Examples of Good Headers

Program Header

  /******************************************************
  *                                                     *
  * Author(s): Brenda Sonderegger, Jane Doe             *
  * Date Last Modified: Oct. 15, 1997                   *
  *                                                     *
  * CS210                                               *
  * Assignment 1, Simple I/O                            *
  *                                                     *
  * Description: User will input an integer, character  *
  *              and float using standard input.  The   *
  *              program will output the input values.  *
  *                                                     *
  ******************************************************/

File Headers for a C header file (stdio.h)

  /******************************************************
  *                                                     *
  * Name: myio_c.h                                      *
  *                                                     *
  * Author(s): Brenda Sonderegger, Jane Doe             *
  * Date Last Modified: Oct. 15, 1997                   *
  *                                                     *
  * Contents: Prototypes for robust user input functions*
  *                                                     *
  ******************************************************/

void get_int(int *val);
  /*****************************************************
  * Precondition: Actual parameter has been declared   *
  * Post_condition: Formal parameter will hold a valid *
  *                 integer value.                     *
  * Parameters: a pointer to an integer that will hold *
  *             the value input by the user            *
  * Return value: none                                 *
  *                                                    *
  * Description: User input of 12a, 2.4,  a34, abc,    *
  *              will trigger an error message to the  *
  *              user.  If an error occurs, the input  *
  *              stream will be completely cleared and *
  *              a user prompt will ask the user to try*
  *              again.                                *
  *****************************************************/

Header for a source code file

  /******************************************************
  *                                                     *
  * Name: myio_c.cxx                                    *
  *                                                     *
  * Author(s): Brenda Sonderegger, Jane Doe             *
  * Date Last Modified: Oct. 15, 1997                   *
  *                                                     *
  * Contents: Code for the functions in myio_c.h        *
  *                                                     *
  ******************************************************/

  /*****************************************************
  *                                                    *
  * void get_int(int *val);                            *
  *                                                    *
  * Author: Brenda Sonderegger                         *
  * Last Modified: Oct. 15, 2000                       *
  *                                                    *
  * You could optionally include the info from the     *
  * function headers in the .h file here as well as in *
  * that file.  Note that individual functions may only*
  * have ONE author for this class.                    *
  *****************************************************/
void get_int(int *val)
{
  /* code for the function - note this is a void function
     so is actually a procedure.  Remember all subprograms 
     in C are called functions regardless of whether or not
     the return a value or are void */
}



  /*****************************************************
  *                                                    *
  * void get_int_bound(int *val, int low, int high);   *
  *                                                    *
  * Author: Jane Doe                                   *
  * Last Modified: Oct. 21, 2000                       *
  *                                                    *
  * You could optionally include the info from the     *
  * function headers in the .h file here as well as in *
  * that file.  Note that individual functions may only*
  * have ONE author for this class.                    *
  *****************************************************/
void get_int_bound(int *val, int low, int high)
{
  /* code for the function - note this a void function so 
     adheres to the concept of a procedure */
}