Re: Difference between variables and functions

From: Eric Sosman (eric.sosman_at_sun.com)
Date: 08/29/05 

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 11:12:40 -0400

Ulrich Hobelmann wrote:
> Erik Max Francis wrote:
>
>>It's obvious to _you_ what he meant, because understood his intent and
>>could tell from the code sample that he meant to call the function named
>>read. But the compiler cannot do this, and so it shouldn't try, since
>>if it did it would make mistakes and confuse the programmer even
>>further.
>
>
> I agree there.
>
>
>>What if it wasn't a name conflict caused by a misunderstanding
>>of how the language worked, but rather a typo? In that case, second
>>guessing what the programmer meant and calling the function would be
>>exactly the _wrong_ thing to do.
>
>
> But he's calling a variable, so IMHO C should compile an indirect
> function call there.

    Some other language, perhaps, but not C. Attempting
to call an `int' (or a `double' or a `struct gizmo') is a
constraint violation:

        6.5.2.2 Function calls
        Constraints
     1 The expression that denotes the called function
        shall have type pointer to function [...]

A diagnostic is required (5.1.1.3). 

-- 
Eric.Sosman@sun.com

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