Bahadir Balban <krupiyer@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
> I see that it works when the array is a local variable. But in the
> following piece of code:
>
> #include <stdio.h>
>
> // const int const_asize = 10;
> #define define_asize = 10;
>
> int array[define_asize] = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0};
>
> int main(int argc, char * argv[])
> {
>
> return 0;
> }
>
>
> With a define it compiles with no errors, however if you replace it
> with the constant variable, I get the following error:
>
> "error: variable-size type declared outside of any function"
> "error: variable-sized object may not be initialized"
>
> This is on gcc version 3.3.5 compiling with the following:
>
> gcc -o consttest main.c
>
> adding a -std=gnu99 does not make any difference.
>
> My opinion is that it is not the best behaviour to differentiate
> between a literal and a const int when they're declared global, but
> make no distinction when they're local. What do you think?
This behaviour is specified by the C standard. The C standard spells
out what precisely may be used when declaring the size of an array.
Const variables are not permitted.
Obviously it would be possible for gcc to extend the C standard here,
but such extensions are generally only supported when there is a real
use for them.
Ian
