Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code

From	Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code
Message-ID	<mui6b793ee2k13c5lnqlknbh1ndd7fa9d7@4ax.com> (permalink)
References	(3 earlier) <b6092b26-a52e-4424-8c32-d82e3d48b683@f29g2000yqa.googlegroups.com> <slrnjb5nok.2nnt.usenet-nospam@guild.seebs.net> <b7fefa1a-8bc0-4364-8104-80aee6c3025c@hj4g2000vbb.googlegroups.com> <slrnjb66o4.30j7.usenet-nospam@guild.seebs.net> <16693c4a-df2c-4b6d-8c7e-af995c1ed4e3@h5g2000vbf.googlegroups.com>
Organization	Forte Inc. http://www.forteinc.com/apn/
Date	2011-11-03 21:35 -0500

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On Thu, 3 Nov 2011 17:57:27 -0700 (PDT), Bill Reid
<hormelfree@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Nov 3, 3:53 pm, Seebs <usenet-nos...@seebs.net> wrote:
>I'm not sure I'm following...it's stupid because it's a feature
>of widespread systems?  Is this a back-handed MS slam?
>
>But I GUESS what you're TRYING to say is that the return
>value of main() has no particular use because the OS either
>does or does not supply useful error logging, but the ANSI
>C committee put it in the standard for writing scripts based
>on relatively small C programs used as commands and basically
>no other purpose...maybe they should have stated THAT as their
>"rationale" (did they?), which would supply some actual guidance as
>to under what circumstances you should set a particular value...

I'm not sure how much of this is sarcasm, but small integer return
values being passed back from programs to the script (we called it JCL
way back then) dates back to at least the late 50s.  The exact meaning
has always varied between systems, but essentially all systems have at
least distinguished between success and failure is some semi-regular
way.

Nor is failure really that narrow a concept - the program failed to
compile - the JCL should terminate the compile job at that point and
not link and overlay the old executable.  Or the make utility should
do something similar.

>Sure...but hey, think about this: instead of a binary value for
>main(), allow the full use of the int to allow OS-specified return
>values that would actually mean something...sound reasonable?  Just
>an idea...probably IS stupid...

But the return value of main() is not binary,  ANSI just standardized
ways of generically specifying success and failure.  The meaning of
any other value is implementation defined (not undefined).

There are many parts of the standard which are implementation defined,
particularly when it comes to interfacing to the system - the syntax
of filenames, for example.  The exact meaning of exit(3) is as
implementation specific as the meaning of fopen("lpt1:", "w").

Thread

I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 08:27 -0700
  Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Mark Bluemel <mark_bluemel@pobox.com> - 2011-11-01 15:49 +0000
  Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code nroberts <roberts.noah@gmail.com> - 2011-11-01 08:52 -0700
  Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2011-11-01 16:22 +0000
  Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-01 09:31 -0700
    Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-11-01 16:57 +0000
      Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 11:51 -0700
        Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-01 15:04 -0400
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-11-01 20:21 +0000
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-11-01 21:41 +0100
        Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-02 08:06 +1300
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 13:17 -0700
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-01 16:24 -0400
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 13:27 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-01 20:24 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2011-11-02 10:24 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-02 11:04 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-02 07:41 -0400
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-02 18:00 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-02 14:06 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code John Bode <jfbode1029@gmail.com> - 2011-11-03 15:05 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-24 22:55 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) - 2012-01-26 15:59 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Fritz Wuehler <fritz@spamexpire-201201.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> - 2012-01-27 20:28 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Markus Wichmann <nullplan@gmx.net> - 2012-01-28 14:11 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-01-29 09:34 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Markus Wichmann <nullplan@gmx.net> - 2012-01-30 13:38 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-01-30 12:10 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Zoltan Kocsi <zoltan@bendor.com.au> - 2012-01-29 08:55 +1100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-31 21:48 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-31 21:46 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-01-31 22:30 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-03-08 10:11 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-08 13:51 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-03-09 12:51 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-09 13:36 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2012-03-09 23:50 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-03-09 15:01 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-09 16:21 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2012-03-10 00:57 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2012-03-10 13:37 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2012-03-10 13:58 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-03-10 12:24 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-10 14:16 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-03-11 12:50 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2012-03-11 00:57 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-11 03:20 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2012-03-12 02:10 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-03-12 10:49 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2012-03-14 01:16 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Robert Miles <milesrf@Usenet-News.net> - 2012-04-15 06:53 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Nomen Nescio <nobody@dizum.com> - 2012-04-15 19:45 +0200
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2012-04-15 15:06 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2012-04-16 10:56 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-03 10:19 +1300
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-02 21:10 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-03 05:13 +0000
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 13:29 -0700
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-01 21:44 +0000
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-03 06:33 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-03 07:05 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-03 15:32 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-04 01:44 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 07:30 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2011-11-04 16:03 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 09:20 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2011-11-04 16:45 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 11:59 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2011-11-04 19:32 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-05 04:07 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2011-11-04 16:54 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 11:58 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 18:25 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code gordonb.e1fpi@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-11-04 13:50 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Pasquale Frega <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-04 11:57 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-04 14:44 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2011-11-04 14:03 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-04 21:37 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-11-06 12:20 +0200
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-04 08:32 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 09:04 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-04 10:28 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-03 18:35 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Pasquale Frega <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-03 14:50 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-03 15:59 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Pasquale Frega <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-04 12:00 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 20:58 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 21:13 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-04 01:56 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Pasquale Frega <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-04 12:12 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-05 10:09 +1300
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-03 15:32 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-03 22:53 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-03 17:57 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-11-03 21:35 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-04 03:31 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-04 02:25 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Kulin Remailer <remailer@reece.net.au> - 2011-11-03 22:47 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Bill Reid <hormelfree@gmail.com> - 2011-11-03 16:14 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-11-03 21:55 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-04 08:10 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code ImpalerCore <jadill33@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 14:21 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-11-04 16:31 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-05 10:41 +1300
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-04 21:38 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-11-04 22:18 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@teksavvy.com> - 2011-11-05 11:11 -0400
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@teksavvy.com> - 2011-11-05 11:13 -0400
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-11-05 23:35 -0500
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-11-06 07:40 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-04 18:15 -0400
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code ImpalerCore <jadill33@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 20:00 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-04 23:19 -0400
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code ImpalerCore <jadill33@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 20:33 -0700
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-05 03:52 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-05 17:01 +1300
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code ImpalerCore <jadill33@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 21:48 -0700
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 13:19 -0700
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-02 09:26 +1300
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 13:23 -0700
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-02 09:27 +1300
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 13:31 -0700
        Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2011-11-01 22:48 +0000
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-24 23:09 -0800
        Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code gordonb.prbii@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-11-01 21:24 -0500
        Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Dann Corbit <dcorbit@connx.com> - 2011-11-02 21:03 -0700
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-11-03 06:39 +0000
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-11-03 18:33 -0700
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-04 03:03 -0700
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 11:40 +0100
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-11-04 11:36 +0000
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-04 15:58 +0000
          Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 07:24 +0100
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 10:28 +0100
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 16:02 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 16:20 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-04 16:39 +0100
            Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-06 18:07 +0100
              Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-11-06 09:59 -0800
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-11-06 19:23 +0100
                Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-06 15:23 -0500
      Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code zemir <zemir_fp@libero.it> - 2011-11-01 11:52 -0700
        Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-01 23:02 +0000
  Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-02 03:53 -0700
    Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-02 08:03 -0400
      Re: I am learning C: a little problem with a simple source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-02 06:11 -0700

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