Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!bbn!rochester!udel!burdvax!sdcrdcf!otto!convex!authorplaceholder
From: loafman@convex.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: VMS pointer problems continue.
Message-ID: <64400005@convex>
Date: 24 Mar 88 17:08:00 GMT
References: <12602@brl-adm.ARPA>
Lines: 34
Nf-ID: #R:brl-adm.ARPA:-1260200:convex:64400005:000:1163
Nf-From: convex.UUCP!loafman    Mar 24 11:08:00 1988


> /* Written  8:54 pm  Mar 23, 1988 by V053MF43@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.EDU */
> /* ---------- "VMS pointer problems continue." ---------- */
> 
> char *wr(a)
> int a;
> {
> char b = "Arf!";
> 
> return(b);
> }
> 
> main()
> {
>  printf(" %s ",wr(4));
> }
> 
> /* End of text from convex:comp.lang.c */

Actually there ARE a couple of problems:
- char b = "..." is attempting to assign a pointer to a character.
- char b is an automatic variable.  Destroyed when function returns.
- wr() returns a pointer.  The return(b) returns a char.  Garbage.
- the printf %s wants a pointer.  wr() returns a char not a pointer.

Not surprised the thing barfed.  Try running lint.  I'm surprised the
compiler did not complain at great lengths.  Most would.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kenneth W. Loafman @ CONVEX Computer Corp, Dallas, Texas | All opinions
Voice:	  work: (214) 952-0829  home: (214) 964-1250     | are my own,
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UUCP:	  ihnp4!convex!loafman	|  CompuServe: 72345,233 |        ...KWL
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