Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!infopiz!lupine!rfg
From: rfg@NCD.COM (Ron Guilmette)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++
Subject: Re: Static member Initialization
Keywords: Questions?
Message-ID: <4324@lupine.NCD.COM>
Date: 10 Mar 91 02:22:47 GMT
References: <2104@metaphor.Metaphor.COM>
Organization: Network Computing Devices, Inc., Mt. View, CA
Lines: 39

In article <2104@metaphor.Metaphor.COM> dattatri@metaphor.Metaphor.COM (Dattatri) writes:
+Here is a piece of code.
+
+class st {
+	static int x;
+	int y;
+	public:
+		static display() { printf("x = %d\n", x); }
+		static increment() { x++; }
+};
+
+main()
+{
+	st::display(); // 1
+	st s;
+	int st::x = 20;  
+	st::display(); // 2
+	int st::x = 30;
+	st::increment();
+	s.display();
+}
+
+When I compile and run this code, what should be the value of 'x' at (1)?
+At (1) is 'x' already initialized?
+
+With the g++, (1) prints x=30.
+What is the effect of st::x=20?

The fact that g++ allows this is a bug in g++.

According to the ARM (section 9.4, page 180) "Static members of a global
class are initialized exactly like global objects and ONLY AT FILE SCOPE."

(The added emphasis is mine.)
-- 

// Ron Guilmette  -  C++ Entomologist
// Internet: rfg@ncd.com      uucp: ...uunet!lupine!rfg
// New motto:  If it ain't broke, try using a bigger hammer.