To call a built-in function, write the name of the function followed
by arguments in parentheses. For example, `atan2(y + z, 1)'
is a call to the function atan2, with two arguments.
Whitespace is ignored between the built-in function name and the open-parenthesis, but we recommend that you avoid using whitespace there. User-defined functions do not permit whitespace in this way, and you will find it easier to avoid mistakes by following a simple convention which always works: no whitespace after a function name.
Each built-in function accepts a certain number of arguments.
In some cases, arguments can be omitted. The defaults for omitted
arguments vary from function to function and are described under the
individual functions. In some awk implementations, extra
arguments given to built-in functions are ignored. However, in gawk,
it is a fatal error to give extra arguments to a built-in function.
When a function is called, expressions that create the function's actual parameters are evaluated completely before the function call is performed. For example, in the code fragment:
i = 4 j = sqrt(i++)
the variable i is set to five before sqrt is called
with a value of four for its actual parameter.
The order of evaluation of the expressions used for the function's parameters is undefined. Thus, you should not write programs that assume that parameters are evaluated from left to right or from right to left. For example,
i = 5 j = atan2(i++, i *= 2)
If the order of evaluation is left to right, then i first becomes
six, and then 12, and atan2 is called with the two arguments six
and 12. But if the order of evaluation is right to left, i
first becomes 10, and then 11, and atan2 is called with the
two arguments 11 and 10.
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