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From: brunner@sdsioa.UUCP (Rob Brunner X2830)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re: Another bug in C compilers
Message-ID: <161@sdsioa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 1-Aug-86 13:39:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdsioa.161
Posted: Fri Aug  1 13:39:47 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Aug-86 23:33:43 EDT
References: <151@danews.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: UC San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Lines: 42

> I believe I've found a bug in the C compiler for the Sys 5 Rel 2 3B20.
> Say we have a structure declared as:
> struct ABC
> {
> 	stuff
> };
> and then follow it with:
> struct ABC;
> ... no error ....
Which is equivalent to using:
int ;
as far as basic parsing is concerned.

This is NOT A BUG, but a feature...  If you look in K&R on pages 215,216
(in section 18.2-Declarations) you'll see essentially the following:

declaration:
     decl-specs init-decl-list[opt] ;    /* init-decl-list left out above */
...					 /* this is the key... you normally */
					 /* use something like 'int k;' this */
					 /* allows 'int ;'   */
decl-specs:
     type-spec decl-specs[opt] ;     /* decl-specs left out above */
...
type-spec:
     ...
     struct-or-union-spec
     ...
struct-or-union-spec:
     ...
     struct identifier
     ...

Why this would ever be done is beyond me.  Anyone have any applications
of this (and want to admit it)?  It might not be useful, but it is 
certainly legal.
-- 
Rob Brunner                              email:
Scripps Institution of Oceanography      brunner@sdsioa.UUCP
Mail Code A-010, UC San Diego            sdsioa!brunner@sdcsvax
San Diego, CA 92093                      {backbone}!sdcsvax!sdsioa!brunner
Phone: (619) 534-2040 (work)             (619) 452-7656 (home)