Re: How to use a struct with qsort()?

From	Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: How to use a struct with qsort()?
Date	2019-10-23 18:20 -0700
Organization	None to speak of
Message-ID	<lnzhhraqh0.fsf@kst-u.example.com> (permalink)
References	(8 earlier) <4w_rF.736155$CO2.65319@fx30.am4> <lnwocvchj3.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <5b4sF.1834564$HWr.1450852@fx36.am4> <ln8spbcc0p.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <%66sF.406317$3C5.184897@fx01.am4>

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Bart <bc@freeuk.com> writes:
> On 23/10/2019 23:50, Keith Thompson wrote:
>> One of your examples was
>>      struct T T;
>> It could have been
>>      struct COFF_Reloc_Rec COFF_Reloc_Rec;
>> Do we agree that using the same identifer for a struct tag and for an
>> object of the struct type is a bad idea?  Or for a typedef name and an
>> object of that type?  That's what you did in your example.  Perhaps a
>> longer name would have made that clearer.
>
> Yet C allows that, and in the same scope. That's only possible using 
> struct (and enum) tags, so avoiding struct tags makes it impossible to 
> do that.

Yes, C allows all kinds of things that are bad ideas.  All languages do.

You haven't answered my question.  Do you agree that using the same name
for an object and the tag for the object's name is a bad idea?  I
believe you do, but I don't want to put words in your mouth.

Are you saying that (a) you dislike struct tags, and (b) the reason you
dislike struct tags is that they make it possible to use the same
identifier for an object and for the tag for the object's type?  I can
understand (a).  If you're claiming (b), I find that very odd.

>> I don't recall anyone suggesting using the same name for a type and
>> for an object of that type.  You did so in your example.  If that
>> wasn't your intent, I'll accept that -- but then I'm not sure what point
>> you were making.
>
> In the original example, 'struct words' was used, with 'wordrec' used 
> for a variable, even though 'words' would have been a better name for 
> the variable. Yet the language allows, via struct tags, both 'struct 
> words' and the variable 'words' to be used together.
> 
>> Yes, I understand that.  "int*" is not an anonymous type.  It has a
>> name, and that name is "int*".  (See the definition of "type-name" in
>> the C syntax.  It's not just an identifier.)
>
> As I said, the context here was user-names for struct tags, typedefs and 
> variables. I don't know what unambiguous denotation can be used for each 
> of those to make it clear I'm not talking about type constructs.

I suppose you're talking about "type names that are either a single
identifier or the keyword struct, union, or enum followed by a single
identifier".  So what point are you making about such type names?

>> Great.  In this case, doing so may have unintentionally obscured your
>> point.
>
> Really? You see 'struct T T' and you should instantly see the problem.

I see two problems.  One is the use of the non-descriptive name "T",
which we've thoroughly covered.  The other is the use of the same
identifier as a tag and as an object name.

You make the point that using a struct tag makes it possible to
use the same identifier for a struct tag and for an object of the
struct type.  I agree (though I don't agree that it's a big deal,
since it can easily be avoided by picking sensible names).  Did you
have another point?

I don't intend to continue posting on this thread for much longer, so
please make any points you wish me to respond to as soon as possible.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Will write code for food.
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */

Thread

How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-19 13:35 -0400
  Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2019-10-19 10:22 -0700
    Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-19 14:19 -0400
      Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2019-10-19 19:36 +0100
      Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Melzzzzz <Melzzzzz@zzzzz.com> - 2019-10-19 18:44 +0000
  Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@delq.com> - 2019-10-19 10:23 -0700
  Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Ike Naar <ike@sdf.lonestar.org> - 2019-10-19 19:09 +0000
    Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-19 15:51 -0400
      Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2019-10-19 13:09 -0700
        Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-19 16:26 -0400
          Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2019-10-19 13:51 -0700
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-19 17:24 -0400
              Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2019-10-19 14:49 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-19 18:26 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2019-10-19 16:32 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-20 09:22 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2019-10-26 04:15 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-26 09:37 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-26 15:40 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-28 19:49 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2019-10-29 01:59 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2019-10-30 04:54 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-30 11:54 +0000
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-30 08:58 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Öö Tiib <ootiib@hot.ee> - 2019-11-07 01:10 -0800
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-11-07 10:51 +0000
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2019-10-26 15:03 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2019-10-26 21:50 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2019-11-04 16:02 -0800
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2019-10-21 11:58 +0000
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2019-10-23 04:51 -0700
          Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-19 23:25 +0100
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-19 15:38 -0700
              Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2019-10-20 14:44 +0200
              Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-22 15:42 -0400
              Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2019-10-23 05:47 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-23 16:40 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-23 13:51 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-23 23:07 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-23 15:50 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-24 01:20 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-23 18:20 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-24 10:40 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-24 11:00 -0700
          Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2019-10-20 00:30 +0100
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-20 00:44 +0100
          Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2019-10-20 01:27 +0100
          Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2019-10-25 20:30 +0200
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-25 16:07 -0400
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Ike Naar <ike@sdf.lonestar.org> - 2019-10-26 07:27 +0000
              Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-26 02:11 -0700
            Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Bart <bc@freeuk.com> - 2019-10-26 11:06 +0100
              Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Manfred <noname@invalid.add> - 2019-10-26 16:58 +0200
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-26 18:17 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-26 16:08 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2019-10-26 21:33 -0400
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2019-10-26 22:10 -0700
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2019-10-27 01:48 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Manfred <noname@invalid.add> - 2019-10-27 19:29 +0100
                Re: How to use a struct with qsort()? Barry Schwarz <schwarzb4aarp@gmail.com> - 2019-10-27 13:09 -0700

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