Description of "." operator

From	Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Newsgroups	comp.std.c
Subject	Description of "." operator
Date	2012-12-07 18:34 -0800
Organization	None to speak of
Message-ID	<lntxrxnufa.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org> (permalink)

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N1570 6.5.2.3p3 says:

    A postfix expression followed by the . operator and an identifier
    designates a member of a structure or union object. The value
    is that of the named member, and is an lvalue if the first
    expression is an lvalue.

Consider the use of the word "object" in the first sentence.

An expression of struct type doesn't necessarily refer to an *object* of
that type.  For example:

    struct pair { int x; int y; };
    struct pair func(void) {
        struct pair result = { 10, 20 };
        return result;
    }
    ...
    int y = func().y;

And the second quoted sentence seems to explictly acknowledge that the
left operand needn't refer to an object.

Shouln't the phrase "a member of a structure or union object" be "a
member of a structure or union *value*"?

If not, in the example code above, what object is being referred to?
("result" no longer exists after the function returns.)

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
    Will write code for food.
"We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this."
    -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

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Thread

Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-12-07 18:34 -0800
  Re: Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-12-08 10:43 -0800
    Re: Description of "." operator Jens Gustedt <jens.gustedt@loria.fr> - 2012-12-10 00:35 +0100
      Re: Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-12-09 20:02 -0800
  Re: Description of "." operator jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) - 2012-12-09 23:34 +0000
    Re: Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-12-09 20:00 -0800
  Re: Description of "." operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-20 23:32 -0800
    Re: Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-12-21 02:08 -0800
      Re: Description of "." operator Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-21 09:18 -0500
        Re: Description of "." operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-21 08:45 -0800
      Re: Description of "." operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-21 08:37 -0800
  Re: Description of "." operator Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-06 01:23 -0500
    Re: Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-05 23:51 -0800
      Re: Description of "." operator Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-06 13:49 -0500
        Re: Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-06 22:12 -0800
          Re: Description of "." operator Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-17 23:19 -0500
            Re: Description of "." operator Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-18 20:47 -0500
              Re: Description of "." operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2013-01-18 20:14 -0800
              Re: Description of "." operator jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) - 2013-01-20 20:07 +0000
                Re: Description of "." operator Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2013-01-20 15:36 -0500

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