Xref: utzoo comp.lang.c:22629 comp.unix.wizards:18587
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.unix.wizards
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: How do I keep pointers aligned?
Message-ID: <1989Oct10.021720.19815@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <12879@s.ms.uky.edu>
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 89 02:17:20 GMT

In article <12879@s.ms.uky.edu> sean@ms.uky.edu (Sean Casey) writes:
>Lint tells me I have possible pointer alignment problems.
>s = (STUFF *) malloc((unsigned) sizeof(STUFF));


The problem is that lint has no way of knowing that the `char *' returned
by malloc is sufficiently well-aligned for use as a `STUFF *'.  In fact,
it is -- that's part of the specs of malloc -- but lint doesn't know that.

In practice, "possible pointer alignment problem" just means "better look
twice to make sure this is right".  It doesn't mean "this is wrong".
-- 
A bit of tolerance is worth a  |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
megabyte of flaming.           | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu