can we use default keyword without switch

I am curious to know can we use default keyword without switch ? If it can't be done. so can anyone tell why it can't be done.

If it's possible to do so what's the problem in my code it shows error before default

Code:

---

#include<stdio.h>

#define Var  3


int main()
{
   
    if ( Var  == 2 )
    {
          printf(" 2 \n" );
    }
   
    if ( Var  == 5)
    {
        printf(" 5 \n" );
    }
   
   
    if ( Var  == 4)
    {
          printf(" 4 \n" );
    }
   


    default
    {
        printf(" Not Valid \n" );
    }
   
   
    return 0;
}

---

Did you tried?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flp1969

Did you tried?

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Yes compiler shows following error

Code:

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error: expected ':' before '{' token    {
    ^

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I know default is use with switch case but this question is for my curiosity

The simple answer is: no, because it is invalid syntax.

There may be some edge case or whatever where this is not true, but I don't feel like researching it, especially not when it'll probably confuse you anyway. Just stick to default with switch.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by laserlight

The simple answer is: no, because it is invalid syntax.

There may be some edge case or whatever where this is not true, but I don't feel like researching it, especially not when it'll probably confuse you anyway. Just stick to default with switch.

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Thank you laserlight for answering my question

The default keyword is also used in the _Generic() expression selector. It still has to be inside the _Generic construct, so there's no way to just randomly scatter default around your code.

However, the syntax <identifier> : is how a label is declared:

Code:

---


any_valid_identifier: {
    ... code ...
    }

---

So you might be happy with something like:

Code:

---

    otherwise: {
        printf("I got nuffink\n");
    }

---

But you could achieve the same result using a #define if you don't like adding the colon. Just #define otherwise /*empty*/ and use it:

Code:

---

    otherwise {
        ...
    }

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aghast

So you might be happy with something like:

Code:

---

    otherwise: {
        printf("I got nuffink\n");
    }

---

But you could achieve the same result using a #define if you don't like adding the colon. Just #define otherwise /*empty*/ and use it:

Code:

---

    otherwise {
        ...
    }

---

---

But note that adding the label, by itself, doesn't actually do anything special. The code block would still be executed unconditionally. You'd need to change the previous if statements to a chain of "if"/"else if" and then change the "default" block to "else".