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From: edhall%rand-unix@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: C syntax
Message-ID: <4358@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Aug-83 03:01:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.4358
Posted: Fri Aug 19 03:01:00 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Aug-83 02:21:51 EDT
Lines: 34

Try:

static void (*p[N])();


In general, remember that modifiers to a given type (that is,
(), *, and []) are parsed right-to-left, successively modifying
the base type of the item.  Parentheses can change this order.
Thus, the above declaration parses:

    [N]         Array of N
    *           Pointers to
    ()          Functions returning
    void        type `void',
    static      storage class `static'.

Another toughie would be an array of pointers to functions returning
strings:

char *(p[N])();

With a bit of practice, though, creating data types in C is about
as simple as any other language.  Some complain that C is `backwards'
from languages like PASCAL.  This is because the C declaration was
designed to be an example of the use of the object declared; thus,
using the second declaration for `p', above, the value of `x' in:

	      x = *(p[n])();

is of type `char'.  This `declaration by example' is more of a feature
than a obstacle.

		-Ed Hall
		Rand Corporation