Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]);

From	Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]);
Date	2017-01-03 11:11 +0000
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<8737h0jt4j.fsf@bsb.me.uk> (permalink)
References	(16 earlier) <8354468b-4d6e-4f7e-b6fa-e02f8e89c7a4@googlegroups.com> <ed051qFlsf9U5@mid.individual.net> <83a7f23a-e96a-4282-b003-1814998edbad@googlegroups.com> <o4ep4s$n7g$1@dont-email.me> <00cef666-7f2b-4d94-9967-a0bbbb5b68ac@googlegroups.com>

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Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> writes:

> On Monday, January 2, 2017 at 11:54:37 PM UTC, David Brown wrote:
>> 
>> No, it is /not/ something that "needs to be spread through the 
>> community".  It is /your/ personal opinion.  If /you/ don't want to use 
>> bools as function parameters, that's fine - but it is /your/ idea. 
>> Don't pretend that you have had some sort of revelation and you need to 
>> convert the rest of the C programming world to the one true parameter type.
>>
> It's not my idea,

Yes, it's a very old one.  What's new is the confusion you've introduced
around a simple idea by suggesting that there is something odd about
naming values of some types.  It has nothing to do with bool parameters
and everything to do with mysterious constants being used as arguments.
That problem has been know since the dawn of programming.

This:

  reset = imagebutton("reset_but.gif", 32, 32, do_reset, true);

is just as mysterious as this:

  reset = imagebutton("reset_but.gif", 32, 32, do_reset, 1);

and it makes little difference if the API is

  button_t imagebutton(const char *img, int wd, int ht,
                       callback_t action, bool permit_transparency);

or

  button_t imagebutton(const char *img, int wd, int ht,
                       callback_t action, int permit_transparency);

(both calls are perfectly valid for both function declarations).

Naming the magic value helps just as much in both cases:

  #define ALLOW_TRANSPARENT true
  ...
  reset = imagebutton("reset_but.gif", 32, 32, do_reset, ALLOW_TRANSPARENT);

is as reasonable

  #define ALLOW_TRANSPARENT 1
  ...
  reset = imagebutton("reset_but.gif", 32, 32, do_reset, ALLOW_TRANSPARENT);

Ironically, the bool version of the API is, in fact, slightly more
helpful because it shows that only two values are possible for that
final parameter.

You can get an even more informative call by writing

  #define ALLOW_TRANSPARENCY(b) (b)

so that you write ALLOW_TRANSPARENCY(true) or ALLOW_TRANSPARENCY(false)
in the final position, but C lacks a simple way to define a unique type
with a finite number of named values[1].  In languages that permit it,
one would probably do that in this case.

> and whilst it is stylistic issue,

The int (or unsigned int) version is often preferred for engineering
reasons as it allows for further flags to be passed by interpreting the
value as a set of bits, but that's another concern altogether.

<snip>

[1] A digression...  It's possible to define a type for this by using
structs and compound literals:

  typedef struct { _Bool value; } transparency_t;
  #define ALLOW_TRANSPARENCY(b)  ((transparency_t){b})

Now, passing a value of the wrong type will be picked up at compile
time.  I've not seen this done (so there may be serious pitfalls) but I
suspect that's just down to the fact the few people want to tie an API
to C99.  I've used _Bool there to avoid forcing the use of stdbool.h.

-- 
Ben.

Thread

How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Veek M <vek.m1234@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 11:35 +0530
  Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Veek M <vek.m1234@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 11:39 +0530
    Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2016-12-29 22:24 -0800
      Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-01 10:56 +0000
        Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-02 02:40 -0800
          Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-03 21:09 +0000
            Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-13 16:30 -0800
  Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-29 23:35 -0800
  Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2016-12-30 09:59 +0000
    Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-12-30 10:43 +0000
      Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-12-30 12:55 +0000
        Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-12-30 13:12 +0000
          Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-12-30 14:37 +0000
            Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-12-30 16:06 +0000
              Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-30 08:41 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-12-30 17:31 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-12-30 19:20 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-12-30 19:41 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-12-30 12:46 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-12-31 00:31 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-12-30 11:50 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-01 10:54 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-01 11:35 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 12:00 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-01 12:16 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 13:03 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-01 14:52 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 15:42 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-01 16:14 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 17:18 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-01 13:09 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-01 19:24 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); bart4858@gmail.com - 2017-01-01 11:24 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 20:05 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-01 13:11 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 22:25 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 02:00 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-01 13:51 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-01 21:59 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-01 14:34 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 02:09 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-02 05:44 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 15:18 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-02 15:21 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 17:07 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-02 09:53 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 23:37 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-02 15:07 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-01-03 12:11 +1300
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-02 15:46 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-03 00:54 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-03 00:33 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-03 11:11 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-03 11:32 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-03 14:05 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-03 14:23 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-03 16:04 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-03 16:09 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-03 17:23 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-03 09:00 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-03 20:33 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2017-01-03 11:40 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-03 12:23 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2017-01-03 12:39 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-03 13:51 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-15 22:58 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-16 10:24 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-31 08:36 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-14 00:53 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-01-03 13:13 +1300
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-02 15:51 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-03 00:51 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2017-01-02 23:32 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-02 23:46 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-03 01:00 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-03 00:42 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2017-01-03 21:47 +1300
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-03 01:31 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-03 10:34 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-03 11:19 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-03 16:19 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Thompson <dave.thompson2@verizon.net> - 2017-01-18 07:51 -0500
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-01-18 21:30 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2017-01-18 21:45 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-18 21:55 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-01-19 22:25 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-02 00:08 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 02:05 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-01 09:45 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 19:20 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-01 15:26 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2017-01-01 23:48 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-02 00:25 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-01 16:44 +0100
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2017-01-01 23:54 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-01 13:25 -0800
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-01-01 22:36 +0000
                Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-01 15:38 -0800
        Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-12-30 13:42 +0000
          Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-12-30 15:07 +0100
    Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-12-30 10:21 -0800
  Re: How is he doing: int a[2] = { 1, 2 }; printf("%d\n", 2[a]); Veek M <vek.m1234@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 07:37 +0530

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