Argument or/and parameter?

[gavio]

I hope this is the right section of the forums to ask this...

Is:

procedure (x)

... "x" called argument or parameter? Or both? Or is it the way you look at the procedure?

If you look at C there is always "argc", "argv",... so i assume it's an argument. But some people in these forums say it's a parameter.

VB (description of Command$() Function): "Returns the argument portion of the command line."

I'm just a bit confused cause English isn't my "default" language

And when i need to mention it i'm always asking myself - is it argument or parameter? Will the one i'm talking to understand me?

For info - i prefer the term argument. Parameter seems more like a property.

[CodedFire]

Ive always used the two interchangably but that could be wrong.

[TheBigB]

Well, it's both right.
There is not really a right or wrong on where to use it.

I think in programming though, people tend to refer more often to parameter rather than argument, but I don't know that for sure.

[gavio]

Please explain "interchangably"

[CodedFire]

It basicly means that they mean the same. This is one of the many quirks of the english language. So although they can be called a parameter and an arguement they functionally preform the same action. That is to pass data to a function or method, which are also interchanably.

[AsmIscool]

I always thought that a procedure was passed a parameter. It may return an argument. But mostly a==b would mean a and b are arguments. Quite frankly though you can use either because the person you are talking to should be able to figure that out unless you are talking about programming to the wrong person.

[RobDog888]

this is soo funny

Argument - Parameter

[RobDog888]

This may help clear things up though.

http://www.devx.com/tips/Tip/13049

[AsmIscool]

Glad we sorted that one out.

[gavio]

So it's really:

...the way you look at the procedure.

It's an argument when calling the procedure and parameter inside the procedure

[RobDog888]

Generically, its just a variable either way

[Shaggy Hiker]

A parameter is the type of data being supplied to the routine, while an argument is the actual data being supplied.

Another way of looking at it is that the word parameter can be used in all cases, while argument is what you are trying to start here.