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From: guy@gorodish.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: default initialization of static and extern
Message-ID: <20333@sun.uucp>
Date: Wed, 3-Jun-87 21:22:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.20333
Posted: Wed Jun  3 21:22:49 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Jun-87 04:36:52 EDT
References: <158@delftcc.UUCP> <1070@viper.Lynx.MN.ORG> <1297@genrad.UUCP> <10314@sri-spam.istc.sri.com>
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Keywords: C, NULL, portability

> 	If you init explictly then it will be done each time you call the
>	function, so the routine isn't static.  Am I missing something?
>	Does C provide that an "initialization when declaration" in a function
>	only occurs once?

Yes, you're missing something, because C does provide that an "initialization
when declared" only occurs once if the variable being initialized is
static:

	9.2 Compound statement, or block

	...

	     Any initializations of "auto" or "register" variables
	are performed each time the block is entered at the top.  ...
	Initializations of "static" variables are performed only once
	when the program begins execution.

The code of a function is considered to be a block here.
	Guy Harris
	{ihnp4, decvax, seismo, decwrl, ...}!sun!guy
	guy@sun.com