Re: [TUHS] C declarations.

On Sat, 13 May 2017 21:59:57 EDT Lawrence Stewart <stewart(a)serissa.com> wrote: The way I remember: given *x[] or *x(), x /sticks/ to the /right/ first. Thus int *x[]; // x is array of ptr to int int *x(); // x is a function returning ptr to int If you don't want a var to stick to its right, separate using using parentheses. int (*x)[]; // x is a ptr to array of ints int (*x)(); // x is a ptr to function returning int int *(*x)[]; // x is a ptr to array of ptrs to int This sort of also works for multiple variables in one declaration. Given int *x, y; // * /sticks/ to the right (x) first, so not available for y. Now if they'd allowed parenthesizing the type, as in (int *)x, y; we would see that both x & y are of type int *. That would've also allowed declaring multiple vars in one declaration where the previous rule applies! (int*)(*f,*g)(); Part of the confusion is * is tacked on at the front while [] & () at the back of a variable. Someone (Chandy?) had proposed unifying this syntax but it didn't go anywhere. I think the author used @ in a suffix place though I don't recall any other details. But if you put the var all the way to the right and read a declaration right to left, it works: int*[] x // x is a array of ptr to ints int() f // f is a function returning it int*()* f // f is a ptr to function returning ptr to int int*()* f,g // f & g are ptrs to function returning ptr to int This is only slightly weird if you are used to the current syntax but you can easily retrain yourself. IMHO, where evolution of C, Scheme and most programming languages goes wrong is doing evolutionary design by committee. Most users grasp what is easier to use vs what is hard but they don't have the aesthetic sense or imagination or training to make things simple. And in large groups popularity or force of personality or some other irrelevant attribute wins not aesthetics. Language evolution IMHO must be done by benevolent dictatorship or a guild of like minded people who have worked together for a long time! Go seems to have adapted that style....