Thread: Undefined array in struct

  1. #1
    Registered User
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    Jan 2007
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    Undefined array in struct

    Hi there.
    I am confused as to why the following piece of code does work:

    Code:
    #include<stdio.h>
    #include<stdlib.h>
    
    struct my_struct
    {
           char my_word[];
           int num;
    };
           
    int main()
    {
       
        struct my_struct eg;
    
        eg.my_word[3] = 'y';
        eg.my_word[67] = 'w';
    
        printf("\n %c \n %c \n %c \n", eg.my_word[3], eg.my_word[67], eg.my_word[54]);
        
        system("pause");
    }
    The array in the struct is not assigned a maximum size. Outside of a struct this is not allowed. This behaviour is not mentioned in my text book.
    Why is this?

    Many thanks,
    WVM

  2. #2
    Registered User Tonto's Avatar
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    New York
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    C99 Extension: Flexible array members.

    http://david.tribble.com/text/cdiffs.htm#C99-fam

  3. #3
    Hurry Slowly vart's Avatar
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    Rishon LeZion, Israel
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    note that in this case my_word[3] overwrites some byte in the num member, and my_word[64] acesses some memory out of bounds...

    On some compilers it works, on some will crash
    All problems in computer science can be solved by another level of indirection,
    except for the problem of too many layers of indirection.
    – David J. Wheeler

  4. #4
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    Thanks guys.
    WVM

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