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Well,
I know void main() is evil, and we shud use int main()...but if I do use void main(), then what?? What "error code" does it return to the OS? zero ??
(Note: I cud have tested it myself, but I dont have a C compiler installed on the current system yet..)
:-)
Thanks.
Well, seeing as how you don't specify a return value it's undefined what actually gets returned. Translation: most likely a random value that could do anything.
-Prelude
Why do ppl still use it? And what's its use anyway?
Well, one reason that people still use it is that there are still text books out there teaching it.. and they don't go to any lengths to explain why undefined behaviour is so undesireable.
Incidently under C89 standards returning anything from main other than an int causes undefined behaviour.
Under C99 it causes unspecified behaviour (only if the compiler is designed to do so) otherwise its undefined.
There are three portable return values from main()
0
EXIT_SUCCESS
EXIT_FAILURE
The last two are defined in stdlib.h
PS: It is possible to cause some really catastrophic failures by using void main(). I have heard some real horror stories. ;)
>Why do ppl still use it?
The evidence suggests that they don't care.
>And what's its use anyway?
The only use is to get a rush from taking the risk.
>I have heard some real horror stories.
I saw a monitor that was actually fried by the use of void main. The program returned an invalid value which was construed as a very high number by the controller on the moniter which required a constant voltage. The voltage was changed and the monitor fizzled.
-Prelude
Hell, that is impressive - I new a guy who had his hard drive reformated. Not happy at all :)
wow... are you serious? wow... if anyone ever says they don't wanna use int main (), just tell em that story... wow... how would that ever happen [the fried monitor]? i might understand a format, if the guy chained into format.com and the stars aligned, but wow...
Yeah - as the author of one book put it (Reckon is was C Unleashed):
The author also recounts a story of lost hard drives from this very thing.Quote:
..If you void main() and you're writing code for a nuclear reactor or a military aircraft, your probably feeling a little unsettled right now, and I don't blame you.