Re: function declaration without args no longer works

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From	cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross)
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: function declaration without args no longer works
Date	Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:23:27 -0000 (UTC)
Organization	PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC
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References	<10sl5na$5ov$1@reader1.panix.com> <10sq8vv$3knhv$8@dont-email.me> <10sqbpn$i4b$1@reader1.panix.com> <10sqid0$3kni0$11@dont-email.me>
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Originator	cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross)
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In article <10sqid0$3kni0$11@dont-email.me>,
Janis Papanagnou  <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> wrote:
>On 2026-04-28 15:13, Dan Cross wrote:
>> In article <10sq8vv$3knhv$8@dont-email.me>,
>> Janis Papanagnou  <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 2026-04-28 09:02, John Forkosh wrote:
>>>>
>>>> No particular reason for "K&R2" versus "ANSI C". But overall reason
>>>> for "older C standard" was (but pretty much no longer is) contract
>>>> work on a variety of slightly-weird systems, particularly, for
>>>> example, VMS, which can require, e.g., a variety of very non-standard
>>>> stuff like
>>>>      #include <descrip.h>
>>>>      ...
>>>>      char    tabbuf[64];          /* usual declarations */
>>>>      char    *tabnam;
>>>>      struct  dsc$descriptor_s     /* required descriptor declarations */
>>>>           tab_desc = { 0, DSC$K_DTYPE_T, DSC$K_CLASS_S, &tabbuf[0] },
>>>>           log_desc = { 0, DSC$K_DTYPE_T, DSC$K_CLASS_S, lognam };
>>>> And I found it easier to stick to an older C standard whenever
>>>> possible, just to ensure compliance among as many OSs as possible,
>>>> across as many different platforms as possible.
>>>
>>> I don't quite understand; you say you needed such older standards
>>> to support various systems, and you use above code for that. Were
>>> (or are) these $-expressions standard back these days (or still)?
>>>
>>> (Looks like some VMS-specific stuff; I seem to recall there were
>>> $-expressions on that OS in various places. On file system? I've
>>> never programmed "C" on VMS as far as I recall.)
>> 
>> [ a lot of interesting VMS stuff snipped ]
>
>Thanks.

Sure thing.

>> None of this is specific to C per se, but it does highlight the
>> way that extensions can be used to enhance functionality; in
>> this case, the use of `$` in an identifier.
>
>I understand that it may have been supported as an extension.
>
>What I (still) don't understand is how John's use of that fits
>with striving for a portable code (that I assumed to have been
>a requirement for his legacy code).

I'm speculating, but I suspect you've got the sense of
portability he referred to backwards: I believe he's talking
about portability _to_ VMS, where I gather he has to deal with
an older compiler.  I got the sense that he is less concerned
with portability of that code to other systems.

I should explain why I called allowing `$` an extension, instead
of using the more precise term, "implementation defined".  This
is because, initially, it really *was* an extension: the first C
standard made no provision of implementation-defined characters
in identifiers, which wasn't standardized until C99.  DEC had
several C compiler products for VMS: VAX C was the first, I
believe, and it predated the even the ANSI C standard.  So VAX
C would have regarded `$` in identifiers as an extension.

Similarly, even through the 90s, GCC targeting VMS (and possibly
other systems) would have done similarly.

	- Dan C.

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function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-26 13:59 +0000
  Re: function declaration without args no longer works Michael Bäuerle <michael.baeuerle@gmx.net> - 2026-04-26 16:24 +0200
    Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-26 16:29 +0000
      Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-05-04 19:36 +0000
        Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-05-05 00:15 -0700
          Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-05-05 09:10 +0000
            Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-05-05 11:17 +0200
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-05-05 11:07 +0000
            Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 02:24 -0700
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-05-05 11:20 +0000
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-05-05 18:09 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-05-07 12:52 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-05-07 14:51 +0000
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-05-06 11:41 +0200
            Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-05-05 10:03 -0700
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-05-07 12:35 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-05-08 07:36 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works antispam@fricas.org (Waldek Hebisch) - 2026-05-08 18:39 +0000
  Re: function declaration without args no longer works richard@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Richard Tobin) - 2026-04-26 14:32 +0000
    Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-26 16:35 +0000
    Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-29 16:43 -0700
      Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-30 08:39 +0200
  Re: function declaration without args no longer works Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-04-26 17:50 +0300
    Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-26 16:39 +0000
      Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-27 00:30 +0000
        Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-27 08:30 +0200
          Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-28 07:02 +0000
            Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-28 10:16 +0200
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works antispam@fricas.org (Waldek Hebisch) - 2026-04-28 15:33 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-28 20:24 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works antispam@fricas.org (Waldek Hebisch) - 2026-04-28 20:22 +0000
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-29 06:22 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-29 09:15 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-04-29 10:06 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2026-04-29 11:25 +0300
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-29 11:26 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-04-29 20:07 -0400
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-30 00:14 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-04-29 17:57 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-04-30 03:09 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-30 00:48 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 20:18 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-01 04:12 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 23:29 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-05-01 19:31 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-05-01 13:49 -0400
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-05-01 12:49 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-01 22:31 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-02 00:13 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-05-01 19:27 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-05-01 19:28 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-02 03:07 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-05-02 16:16 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-30 01:39 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-30 00:38 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 03:07 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-30 05:54 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 14:32 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-04-30 09:45 -0400
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-30 12:48 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-04-29 11:05 +0100
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-29 16:32 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-30 01:22 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-29 10:42 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-29 14:31 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-30 08:42 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-30 13:17 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 14:40 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-30 22:14 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-04-29 18:55 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-29 21:19 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2026-04-29 16:46 -0700
            Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-04-28 14:25 +0200
              Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-04-28 13:13 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-28 15:48 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-04-28 15:05 +0100
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-28 16:37 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-28 14:02 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-29 09:29 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-29 02:49 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-04-29 20:06 -0400
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-29 17:13 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-30 00:45 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-04-29 21:11 -0400
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-30 01:40 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-29 20:09 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-04-30 14:57 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-04-30 15:07 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-04-30 16:20 +0100
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-04-30 16:10 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-04-30 17:48 +0100
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-30 22:31 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-30 22:18 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-05-01 00:25 +0100
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-05-01 00:08 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-05-01 01:24 +0100
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 17:46 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-05-01 01:55 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2026-05-01 10:48 +0100
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-05-01 11:20 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 20:23 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-05-01 10:32 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-30 14:43 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-04-30 22:34 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2026-05-01 13:32 -0400
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2026-05-01 18:12 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-04-30 03:50 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-30 08:52 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2026-04-28 14:56 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-28 15:41 -0700
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-04-29 21:20 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-04-28 17:14 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-28 17:31 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-04-28 19:06 +0000
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-28 21:44 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2026-04-28 17:06 +0200
                Re: function declaration without args no longer works cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2026-04-28 19:23 +0000
  Re: function declaration without args no longer works David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2026-04-26 17:35 +0200
    Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-26 16:50 +0000
    Re: function declaration without args no longer works Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2026-04-26 15:52 -0700
  Re: function declaration without args no longer works Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2026-04-26 08:38 -0700
    Re: function declaration without args no longer works John Forkosh <forkosh@panix.com> - 2026-04-26 16:56 +0000

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