Name

return

Description

Keyword used to indicate the value to return from a function. The value being returned must be the same datatype as defined in the function declaration. Functions declared with void can't return values and shouldn't include a return value.

The keyword return may also be used to break out of a function, thus not allowing the program to the remaining statements. (See the third example above.)

Examples

  • int val = 30;
     
    void draw() {
      int t = timestwo(val);
      println(t);
    }
    
    // The first 'int' in the function declaration
    // specifies the type of data to be returned.
    int timestwo(int dVal) {
      dVal = dVal * 2;
      return dVal;  // Returns an int of 60, in this case
    }
    
  • int[] vals = {10, 20, 30}; 
      
    void draw() { 
      int[] t = timestwo(vals); 
      println(t); 
      noLoop();
    } 
     
    int[] timestwo(int[] dVals) { 
      for (int i = 0; i < dVals.length; i++) { 
        dVals[i] = dVals[i] * 2; 
      } 
      return dVals;  // Returns an array of 3 ints: 20, 40, 60 
    }
    
  • void draw() {
      background(204);
      line(0, 0, width, height);
      if (mousePressed) {
        return;  // Break out of draw(), skipping the line statement below
      }
      line(0, height, width, 0);  // Executed only if mouse is not pressed
    }
    

Syntax

  • type function {
  • statements
  • return value
  • }

Parameters

  • typeboolean, byte, char, int, float, String, boolean[], byte[], char[], int[], float[], or String[]
  • functionthe function that is being defined
  • statementsany valid statements
  • valuemust be the same datatype as the "type" parameter