Re: initialization of local static variable

From	Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com>
Subject	Re: initialization of local static variable
Date	2011-10-08 15:36 +0100
Message-Id	<pan.2011.10.08.14.36.26.117000@nowhere.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
References	(3 earlier) <9f852eF700U1@mid.uni-berlin.de> <j6mp4b$h3d$1@dont-email.me> <9f8lokFi5lU1@mid.uni-berlin.de> <0.5bf60c50a20af830bcc4.20111007202925BST.87zkhcwqga.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <j6nkfh$3tt$1@speranza.aioe.org>
Organization	Zen Internet

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On Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:38:28 +0200, jacob navia wrote:

>> By the way I agree with the "unexpected" part.  Despite this being an
>> extension, I'd expect only one initialisation.  By the way, even a
>> function call is permitted as the initialiser.
> 
> Well, why shouldn't be possible?
> 
> I don't see any reason. The compiler can do it, the language
> looks the same, why shouldn't I do it?
> 
> Besides the obvious (the standard doesn't like it) is there
> any reason not to do it?

Because it should report an error. The programmer is trying to do
something that isn't meaningful; the compiler should ideally try to warn
them, rather than (metaphorically) sniggering to itself, opening the
popcorn, and watching the programmer try to figure it out on their own.

> Now, it *could* be said that it would be unexpected because
> static initializations are done at load time but obviously
> the intention of the programmer here can't be that since
> there is no way a function can be called at load time...

You're expecting too much from the programmer. E.g. assuming that they
actually understand the difference between initialisation and assignment.
Given how long you've been here, you really should know better.

Just because something is possible, that doesn't mean that it's a good
idea. E.g. if you're writing a text editor, it's quite simple to add
an option to allow tab stops to be set at something other than every eight
columns. Dealing with the consequences of such a feature is a) somewhat
less simple and b) Somebody Else's Problem (TM).

More generally, any kind of extension creates a risk of "Embrace, Extend,
Extinguish", even if that wasn't the original intention. In some cases,
the drawbacks may be outweighed by the utility. This doesn't appear to be
such a case.

Thread

initialization of local static variable "V.Subramanian, India" <subramanian100in@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-06 23:33 -0700
  Re: initialization of local static variable pete <pfiland@mindspring.com> - 2011-10-07 02:51 -0400
  Re: initialization of local static variable "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-07 10:44 +0100
  Re: initialization of local static variable China Blue Corn Chips <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-07 03:03 -0700
    Re: initialization of local static variable "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-07 11:33 +0100
      Re: initialization of local static variable jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2011-10-07 11:11 +0000
        Re: initialization of local static variable "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-07 12:51 +0100
          Re: initialization of local static variable jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2011-10-07 15:56 +0000
            Re: initialization of local static variable Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-07 20:29 +0100
              Re: initialization of local static variable jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-07 21:38 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-07 21:16 +0100
                Re: initialization of local static variable jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-07 22:22 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2011-10-07 22:25 +0000
                Re: initialization of local static variable jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-08 00:40 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-08 11:56 +1300
                Re: initialization of local static variable jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-08 01:53 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Jens Gustedt <jens.gustedt@loria.fr> - 2011-10-09 23:04 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2011-10-10 11:54 -0500
                Re: initialization of local static variable Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-10-10 17:41 +0000
                Re: initialization of local static variable Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2011-10-10 17:35 -0500
                Re: initialization of local static variable jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) - 2011-10-08 00:02 +0000
                Re: initialization of local static variable "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-08 01:26 +0100
                Re: initialization of local static variable "Philip Lantz" <prl@canterey.us> - 2011-10-08 03:01 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-07 21:42 +0100
                Re: initialization of local static variable China Blue Corn Chips <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-07 16:25 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-08 01:51 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable China Blue Corn Chips <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-07 18:21 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-08 15:36 +0100
                Re: initialization of local static variable Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-08 22:06 +0100
                Re: initialization of local static variable Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-09 05:35 +0100
                Re: initialization of local static variable Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-09 09:25 +0100
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-09 11:00 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-10-09 10:56 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-09 14:30 -0400
                Re: initialization of local static variable Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-10-09 21:43 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-10 19:08 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Geoff <geoff@invalid.invalid> - 2011-10-10 16:16 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable Ike Naar <ike@iceland.freeshell.org> - 2011-10-10 23:22 +0000
                Re: initialization of local static variable James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-10 20:40 -0400
                Re: initialization of local static variable Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-10-10 20:54 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-11 18:45 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-11 18:51 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-10-11 18:52 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-12 08:49 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-11 19:48 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-10-11 21:25 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-12 08:48 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-12 08:54 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable pete <pfiland@mindspring.com> - 2011-10-12 20:55 -0400
                Re: initialization of local static variable Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-10-11 18:52 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-11 19:55 +0200
                Re: initialization of local static variable Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-11 11:24 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-11 12:47 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-12 08:49 +0200
            Re: initialization of local static variable Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-24 16:09 -0800
          Re: initialization of local static variable China Blue Corn Chips <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-07 16:06 -0700
            Re: initialization of local static variable Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-10-12 22:25 +0000
              Re: initialization of local static variable "christian.bau" <christian.bau@cbau.wanadoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-13 07:09 -0700
                Re: initialization of local static variable Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-10-17 17:21 +0000
              Re: initialization of local static variable Joe Wright <joewwright@comcast.net> - 2011-10-14 14:27 -0400
          Re: initialization of local static variable Richard Damon <news.x.richarddamon@xoxy.net> - 2011-10-08 00:03 -0400
            Re: initialization of local static variable China Blue Corn Chips <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-08 01:27 -0700
          Re: initialization of local static variable Richard Damon <news.x.richarddamon@xoxy.net> - 2011-10-08 00:08 -0400

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