PSET3:Find: Code works without the function, doesn't work with the function

Question

So I am working on Selection Sort for Find, Problem Set 3. When I use a function I made called swap to exchange the values, the array is not sorted. Function snippet:

if (min != i)
{
    swap(values[i], values[min];
}


void swap(int a, int b)
{
     int tmp = a;
     a = b;
     b = temp;
}

However when I remove the function and use code instead of the function, the array sorts. Snippet below:

if (min != i)
{
    // swap value of i and with the minimum value.
    int temp = values[i];
    values[i] = values[min];
    values[min] = temp;
}

Any idea why is this happening?

Answer 1

C, by default, passes parameters to functions by value. That means when the function swap is called, two new variables, x and y are created, and the values of the integers are copied into them. When the function returns, the two variables x and y cease to exist. The original data in my calling function is unchanged. This is covered in Week 2 shorts and the Week 4 Lecture. I totally forgot about this. So yeah, my bad. Nothing to see here. Move on.