Variable-Length.html 7.4 KB

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  19. <title>Using the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC): Variable Length</title>
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  62. <a name="Variable-Length"></a>
  63. <div class="header">
  64. <p>
  65. Next: <a href="Variadic-Macros.html#Variadic-Macros" accesskey="n" rel="next">Variadic Macros</a>, Previous: <a href="Empty-Structures.html#Empty-Structures" accesskey="p" rel="prev">Empty Structures</a>, Up: <a href="C-Extensions.html#C-Extensions" accesskey="u" rel="up">C Extensions</a> &nbsp; [<a href="index.html#SEC_Contents" title="Table of contents" rel="contents">Contents</a>][<a href="Option-Index.html#Option-Index" title="Index" rel="index">Index</a>]</p>
  66. </div>
  67. <hr>
  68. <a name="Arrays-of-Variable-Length"></a>
  69. <h3 class="section">6.19 Arrays of Variable Length</h3>
  70. <a name="index-variable_002dlength-arrays"></a>
  71. <a name="index-arrays-of-variable-length"></a>
  72. <a name="index-VLAs"></a>
  73. <p>Variable-length automatic arrays are allowed in ISO C99, and as an
  74. extension GCC accepts them in C90 mode and in C++. These arrays are
  75. declared like any other automatic arrays, but with a length that is not
  76. a constant expression. The storage is allocated at the point of
  77. declaration and deallocated when the block scope containing the declaration
  78. exits. For
  79. example:
  80. </p>
  81. <div class="smallexample">
  82. <pre class="smallexample">FILE *
  83. concat_fopen (char *s1, char *s2, char *mode)
  84. {
  85. char str[strlen (s1) + strlen (s2) + 1];
  86. strcpy (str, s1);
  87. strcat (str, s2);
  88. return fopen (str, mode);
  89. }
  90. </pre></div>
  91. <a name="index-scope-of-a-variable-length-array"></a>
  92. <a name="index-variable_002dlength-array-scope"></a>
  93. <a name="index-deallocating-variable-length-arrays"></a>
  94. <p>Jumping or breaking out of the scope of the array name deallocates the
  95. storage. Jumping into the scope is not allowed; you get an error
  96. message for it.
  97. </p>
  98. <a name="index-variable_002dlength-array-in-a-structure"></a>
  99. <p>As an extension, GCC accepts variable-length arrays as a member of
  100. a structure or a union. For example:
  101. </p>
  102. <div class="smallexample">
  103. <pre class="smallexample">void
  104. foo (int n)
  105. {
  106. struct S { int x[n]; };
  107. }
  108. </pre></div>
  109. <a name="index-alloca-vs-variable_002dlength-arrays"></a>
  110. <p>You can use the function <code>alloca</code> to get an effect much like
  111. variable-length arrays. The function <code>alloca</code> is available in
  112. many other C implementations (but not in all). On the other hand,
  113. variable-length arrays are more elegant.
  114. </p>
  115. <p>There are other differences between these two methods. Space allocated
  116. with <code>alloca</code> exists until the containing <em>function</em> returns.
  117. The space for a variable-length array is deallocated as soon as the array
  118. name&rsquo;s scope ends, unless you also use <code>alloca</code> in this scope.
  119. </p>
  120. <p>You can also use variable-length arrays as arguments to functions:
  121. </p>
  122. <div class="smallexample">
  123. <pre class="smallexample">struct entry
  124. tester (int len, char data[len][len])
  125. {
  126. /* <span class="roman">&hellip;</span> */
  127. }
  128. </pre></div>
  129. <p>The length of an array is computed once when the storage is allocated
  130. and is remembered for the scope of the array in case you access it with
  131. <code>sizeof</code>.
  132. </p>
  133. <p>If you want to pass the array first and the length afterward, you can
  134. use a forward declaration in the parameter list&mdash;another GNU extension.
  135. </p>
  136. <div class="smallexample">
  137. <pre class="smallexample">struct entry
  138. tester (int len; char data[len][len], int len)
  139. {
  140. /* <span class="roman">&hellip;</span> */
  141. }
  142. </pre></div>
  143. <a name="index-parameter-forward-declaration"></a>
  144. <p>The &lsquo;<samp>int len</samp>&rsquo; before the semicolon is a <em>parameter forward
  145. declaration</em>, and it serves the purpose of making the name <code>len</code>
  146. known when the declaration of <code>data</code> is parsed.
  147. </p>
  148. <p>You can write any number of such parameter forward declarations in the
  149. parameter list. They can be separated by commas or semicolons, but the
  150. last one must end with a semicolon, which is followed by the &ldquo;real&rdquo;
  151. parameter declarations. Each forward declaration must match a &ldquo;real&rdquo;
  152. declaration in parameter name and data type. ISO C99 does not support
  153. parameter forward declarations.
  154. </p>
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