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From: Fred <jfn%vanderbilt.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa>
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: C declarations
Message-ID: <7699@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 25-Jan-85 04:22:12 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.7699
Posted: Fri Jan 25 04:22:12 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Jan-85 07:04:27 EST
Sender: news@brl-tgr.ARPA
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 26


   I have a question about C declarations.  The [] notation is equivalent
to the * notation, right?  We have

	int ptr[]   <=>   int *ptr

and 

	int *ptr[]  <=>   int **ptr


   The question concerns the [] syntax, which takes on a different meaning if 
data initialization occurs.  For example:

	int ptr[];	declares one pointer

but

	int ptr[] = { 1, 2, 3 };	declares a three element int array.


  Is this a desirable characteristic of C?  Could someone please comment on
the precise meaning of [] in declarations.

  Thanks, my address is
	CS-Net:  jfn@vanderbilt