Quick Question - Run line of code after 'return'

Projects Programming
1

I have a function set up with a global variable so that it can store its values for later use, but I want to reset it after I've used it. So when I've gotten the value out of my function, I want to set it back, but I can't run a line after the 'return' line if I'm correct. Is there an easy way to reset my variable after the function has run without having to reset the variable after every time I call the function?
Here's what I mean:

// For tracking button presses
int pre_button_state[] = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}; // This holds the previous button state
int post_button_state[] = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0};// This holds the current button state to compare
int sto_button[] = {-1, -1}; // Store the value of the button being pressed (I want to reset this variable)

int ButtonCheck() {
  for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) { // Checks current button reads
    post_button_state[i] = digitalRead(button_pin[i]);
  }
  for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) { // This is where the buttons are checked for consistency
    if (post_button_state[i] != pre_button_state[i]) {
      if (sto_button[0] == -1) {
        sto_button[0] = i;
      } else {
        sto_button[1] = i;
      }
    }
  }
  return (4*sto_button[0])+sto_button[1]; // Fake array (This is where I want to reset it with int sto_button[] = {-1, -1};)
}
2

Is there an easy way to reset my variable after the function has run without having to reset the variable after every time I call the function?

What variable?

nerds rule the World of Warcraft.

Oh, aye.

3

What is "resetting a variable" anyway?

4

I want to bring the sto_button value back to {-1,-1} after the function returns, but I return values from that, so setting it to a manual value before I run 'return' won't work. It's commented in the code.

5

Declare a local int variable in your buttoncheck function. Where you currently return from the function, store (4*sto_button[0])+sto_button[1] in it. Reset the content of your sto_button array, return the value you stored in the local.

6

Ah. Perfect. Thanks for the tip. I knew it was something simple. I just needed to think more make-shifty. The art of technology as I've come to know it.