Initialize Data Member in Struct

[jwroblewski44]

Hello all!

I was looking at some linked list material and was wondering something. Can you initialize a data member inside a struct like in C++?

i.e.

typedef struct node
{
        int data;
        struct node * next = NULL; // this is the line in question
} LLnode;

If that is not correct, can someone suggest something?

[jwroblewski44]

I think I answered my own question. Is the solution a node-creation function that initializes each data member?

One more question: if you remove the whole "= NULL" part, did I declare the node-pointer correctely?

i.e.

        struct node * next;

[smokeyangel]

You can't do it in the struct declaration like in your first post. In C++, a constructor will be called that sets next to NULL. No constructors in C, so... no.

I think I answered my own question. Is the solution a node-creation function that initializes each data member?

Pretty much, yes. If you're using malloc, it'd probably be a good idea to put the call to malloc in there too, then always call that function to create nodes. That way you don't have to remember to call an init() function after creating each node so hopefully will have less risk of uninitialised stuff.

One more question: if you remove the whole "= NULL" part, did I declare the node-pointer correctely?

Yep, that's right.

[jwroblewski44]

Thank you.