Newsgroups: comp.std.c Path: utzoo!henry From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: I can't find a good definition anywhere... Message-ID: <1989May12.154810.21589@utzoo.uucp> Organization: U of Toronto Zoology References: <1954@trantor.harris-atd.com> <10084@smoke.BRL.MIL> <1339@ncr-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM> <10214@smoke.BRL.MIL> <849@mtxinu.UUCP> <2810@buengc.BU.EDU> <13022@haddock.ima.isc.com> <10253@smoke.BRL.MIL> Date: Fri, 12 May 89 15:48:10 GMT In article <10253@smoke.BRL.MIL> gwyn@brl.arpa (Doug Gwyn) writes: >>>What does a #pragma _do_, anyway? >>So the guy says, "Anything it wants!" > >There is some sentiment that whatever #pragma does, the rest of the >specifications in the Standard still have to be conformed to, so it's >not quite "anything". Valid examples are output listing control, >levels of optimization, etc. Unfortunately, while there is some sentiment for this view, it's not guaranteed by the Standard (unless the relevant text has changed since the October draft), so it should not be relied on. There are two possible interpretations of the actual wording, neither of which is internally contradictory: either #pragma is allowed to change the rules, or it isn't. Opinions vary on which interpretation is preferable, but the Standard doesn't say. -- Mars in 1980s: USSR, 2 tries, | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology 2 failures; USA, 0 tries. | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu