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From: torek@elf.ee.lbl.gov (Chris Torek)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Problems allocating 300k data structure using Turbo C
Message-ID: <11123@dog.ee.lbl.gov>
Date: 19 Mar 91 20:02:48 GMT
References: <1991Mar15.230133.16073@lynx.CS.ORST.EDU>
Reply-To: torek@elf.ee.lbl.gov (Chris Torek)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley
Lines: 23
X-Local-Date: Tue, 19 Mar 91 12:02:49 PST

In article <1991Mar15.230133.16073@lynx.CS.ORST.EDU> kemps@prism.CS.ORST.EDU
(Scott Micheal Kemp) writes:
>     POINTS huge (*points)[];

Ignoring the `huge' modifier, this declares `points' as a

	pointer to array ? of POINTS

where `?' means `I have no idea how big this array is'.  Such a type
is nearly useless; I claim it should not exist at all, but for the fact
that it has to, to give meaning to

	extern char foo[];
	... &foo

There is nothing you can do with a `pointer to array ? of T' that you
cannot do with just a `pointer to T', so you might as well ignore the
existence of this type.

See the Frequently Asked Questions for more details.
-- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Lawrence Berkeley Lab CSE/EE (+1 415 486 5427)
Berkeley, CA		Domain:	torek@ee.lbl.gov