Comment by arjvik

5 hours ago

The way I've learned to read it is

    int v;

means that `v` is an `int`.

    int *w;

means that `*w` is an `int`, meaning `w` is a pointer to an `int`.

    int *y[5]

(note that `◌[]` has higher precedence than `*◌`, so this is `*(y[5])`) means that `*y[5]` is an `int`, so `y[5]` is a pointer to an `int`, meaning `y` is an array of `int` pointers.

    int (*(*kitchensink[5])(int, int))[6];

means that `(*(*kitchensink[5])(int, int))[6]` is an int, so

- `*(*kitchensink[5])(int, int)` is an array of `int`.

- `(*kitchensink[5])(int, int)` is a pointer to array of `int`.

- `kitchensink[5]` is a function pointer to a function that takes `(int, int)` and returns a pointer to an array of `int`.

- `kitchensink` is an array of function pointers to functions that take `(int, int)` and return a pointer to an array of `int`.

5 comments

arjvik

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kps  5 hours ago

> int *w;

But some misguided style guides demand the misleading `int* w;`, and then act surprised by `int* w, x`;

  • uecker  3 hours ago

    Those style guides would also disallow having multiple declarators in a single declaration.

  • tom_  5 hours ago

    I split the difference and write it "int*w".

    (Most style guides tell you to declare one name per line anyway...)