Thread: why can I get this simple code to compile?

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    printf("s");

    struct nein
    {
        int a;
    };        //<-the compiler thinks the code ends here.
}

it gives this error when I compile with gcc, why? It works without the printf statement though.

bash$ gcc -W -Wall -pedantic -ansii -o typesize typesize.c
typesize.c: In function `main':
typesize.c:7: parse error before `struct'
typesize.c:10: warning: control reaches end of non-void function
typesize.c: At top level:
typesize.c:10: warning: ANSI C does not allow extra `;' outside of a function
typesize.c:11: parse error before `}'

> warning: ANSI C does not allow extra `;' outside of a function
Your posted code does NOT have this.
Try posting the code you actually compiled, not some randomness.

I know, that is why I don't get it, it is the code I am trying to compile! the ; refers to the ; for the struct declaration. If you count the lines from the top that ; is in line ten and the line which the compiler refers to. Am I using gcc wrong? Thats the only thing I can think of now.

Try putting the struct declaration at the start of main, instead of after the printf statement.

When I compiled this code with gcc, I got:

Code:

$ gcc -Wall -pedantic -ansi tarotcard.c -o tarotcard
tarotcard.c: In function ‘main’:
tarotcard.c:10: warning: ISO C90 forbids mixed declarations and code
tarotcard.c:10: error: syntax error before ‘/’ token
tarotcard.c:11: warning: control reaches end of non-void function

To get rid of those warnings, you would need to remove the '//' style comment, move the struct declaration to the start of main instead of after the printf, and add a return 0; statement to the end of main. Not sure why your gcc is giving different output to mine, but hopefully this helps.

Well it works when I move it out side the main. but why doesn't it work inside the main? As I mentioned it works when I remove the printf statement...... do you think there is a problem with my gcc?

And thank everyone for the fast replies, this forum is really good!

Did you try moving it to the start of main? If you remove the printf it would then be at the start, this is probably why it works when you do that. Also it will work when it's outside of main because that's allowed by C89. What isn't allowed is declaring a struct anywhere in the code - it must be global, i.e. outside all functions, or at the start of a block.

Ah so thats why. Thanks!