Re: Non-constant initializers

From	Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: Non-constant initializers
Date	2011-05-14 17:45 -0400
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<iqmt7i$42s$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	(6 earlier) <e68b19561ee2543-31bc7@gmail.com> <iqhrt1$v8n$1@dont-email.me> <9322eedb3a632f5-29a98@gmail.com> <iqmhp7$l57$1@dont-email.me> <70b21f510c7390e-cc0de@gmail.com>

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On 5/14/2011 3:25 PM, Uncle Steve wrote:
> On Sat, May 14, 2011 at 02:30:58PM -0500, Shao Miller wrote:
>> [...]
>> No answer to this one?  If the very first thing main() does is to call
>> an init() which populates your globals' values, then that init() makes
>> for a nicely-readable section of code to gather these items into one place.
>
> You're making this too easy.  What could be cleaner than a variable
> declaration outside of main() which also initializes it to the value it
> should have before main() is called?  [...]

     Since it's not C, it's infinitely UNclean in C terms.  Also,
you'll find that languages permitting this sort of thing are all
festooned with great garlands of special rules about the order in
which these initializers get executed.  Consider your hypothetical
file-scope function call, for example: Are stdin/out/err open and
ready for use when the function runs?  What about the `FILE *foo;'
that you also fopen() at file-scope?  Has the malloc() arena been
initialized yet?  What about floating-point environment flags?  And
so on, and so on.

>> Well it's an opportunity to suggest that C functions do not return
>> arrays, as far as I know.  If howmuchfoo() was a macro that expanded to
>> an initializer list, then I believe that'd be fine.
>
> It could do just about anything if it was a C function, couldn't it?

     C functions cannot return arrays, nor can they return array
initializers.

-- 
Eric Sosman
esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid

Thread

Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-12 22:59 +0000
  Re: Non-constant initializers Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-05-13 11:07 +1200
    Re: Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-12 23:17 +0000
      Re: Non-constant initializers Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-05-13 11:20 +1200
        Re: Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-12 23:30 +0000
          Re: Non-constant initializers Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-05-13 11:34 +1200
            Re: Non-constant initializers Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-12 16:52 -0700
              Re: Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-14 00:13 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-14 01:28 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 13:52 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers kym@kymhorsell.com - 2011-05-14 01:54 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Columbus sailed the ocean China Blue <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-05-14 01:07 -0700
                Re: Non-constant initializers kym@kymhorsell.com - 2011-05-14 09:22 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-14 17:14 +0000
            Re: Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-14 00:11 +0000
  Re: Non-constant initializers Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-12 18:08 -0500
    Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-12 19:22 -0400
      Re: Non-constant initializers Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-12 18:53 -0500
        Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 13:59 -0400
          Re: Non-constant initializers Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2011-05-14 14:19 -0400
            Re: Non-constant initializers Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 15:04 -0500
            Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 15:10 -0400
              Re: Non-constant initializers James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-05-14 16:01 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 16:57 -0400
          Re: Non-constant initializers Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 14:30 -0500
            Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 15:25 -0400
              Re: Non-constant initializers Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-14 13:05 -0700
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 17:00 -0400
              Re: Non-constant initializers Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 16:14 -0500
                Re: Non-constant initializers Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 16:49 -0500
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 18:21 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 21:26 -0500
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-15 14:01 -0400
              Re: Non-constant initializers Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2011-05-14 17:45 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-14 18:09 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-05-15 04:01 +0100
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-15 13:26 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-05-16 02:32 +0100
              Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-15 03:59 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-16 04:49 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers pete <pfiland@mindspring.com> - 2011-05-16 07:27 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-16 09:24 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-16 19:10 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-16 21:23 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-16 19:10 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-16 21:16 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-05-16 21:37 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-16 22:42 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-17 02:40 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-16 22:50 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-17 04:14 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-17 17:37 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-17 22:22 +0000
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-17 18:33 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-05-18 01:58 -0700
                Re: Non-constant initializers Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com> - 2011-05-18 12:45 -0400
                Re: Non-constant initializers "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-05-18 19:30 +0200
                Re: Non-constant initializers Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-05-18 20:01 +0100
                Re: bug-free C code (was: Non-constant initializers) Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-19 02:21 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code (was: Non-constant initializers) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-18 20:00 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code (was: Non-constant initializers) Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-19 03:14 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code (was: Non-constant initializers) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-19 07:49 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code (was: Non-constant initializers) Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-19 15:16 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code Ben Pfaff <blp@cs.stanford.edu> - 2011-05-18 20:02 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-18 20:09 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2011-05-18 23:24 -0400
                Re: bug-free C code Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-05-19 06:39 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-19 08:05 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-05-19 16:22 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-19 11:36 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code Ben Pfaff <blp@cs.stanford.edu> - 2011-05-19 12:21 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-19 13:12 -0700
                Re: bug-free C code gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2011-05-19 21:52 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-05-19 22:16 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-05-19 17:25 -0500
                Re: bug-free C code Kenneth Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2011-05-20 13:32 -0400
                Re: bug-free C code gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2011-05-19 21:51 +0000
                Re: bug-free C code Kenneth Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2011-05-20 13:30 -0400
                Re: bug-free C code "Joel C. Salomon" <joelcsalomon@gmail.com> - 2011-05-18 23:13 -0400
                Re: bug-free C code Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-05-19 08:23 +0100
      Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-13 00:15 +0000
      Re: Non-constant initializers "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-05-13 11:01 +0200
    Re: Non-constant initializers Columbus sailed the ocean China Blue <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-05-12 16:30 -0700
  Re: Non-constant initializers Columbus sailed the ocean China Blue <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-05-12 16:15 -0700
    Re: Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-12 23:28 +0000
  Re: Non-constant initializers Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-05-12 18:01 -0600
    Re: Non-constant initializers Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-12 18:15 -0700
      Re: Non-constant initializers Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-05-12 22:56 -0600
        Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-13 05:18 +0000
          Re: Non-constant initializers Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-05-13 09:10 -0600
            Re: Non-constant initializers Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-05-13 20:56 +0000
      Re: Non-constant initializers Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2011-05-18 23:47 -0700
        Re: Non-constant initializers Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-05-19 08:15 -0700
    Re: Non-constant initializers Fred the Freshwater Catfish <usenet.fred@bdtd.invalid> - 2011-05-13 23:57 +0000

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