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An ML like notation would be even more cool: char str[10]; str : [10] (char) char (fp)( int, float ); fp : ((int, float) -> char) void (*si

An ML like notation would be even more cool: char *str[10]; str : [10] (*char) char *(*fp)( int, float *); fp : *((int, *float) -> *char) void (*signal(int, void (*fp)(int)))(int); signal : (int, *(int -> void)) -> *(int -> void) (Oh. That last declaration did make some sense, after all…) Really, how did they manage to chose such an inconsistent, unreadable syntax for their declarations? Is there any rational explanation?

endgame 16y ago
AIUI, the explanation is that they wanted this idea of "declaration follows use". For simple things, this works kind of nicely: char *foo; Says that *foo will have type `char`. This sounds good in theory, but famously breaks down when things get more complicated (arrays of function pointers, multiple declarations at once, &c.).
- mturmon 16y ago
  Yes, see van der Linden's Deep C Secrets: http://books.google.com/books?id=4vm2xK3yn34C&printsec=frontcover&dq=deep+c+secrets&source=bl&ots=Hna8W92Id0&sig=G7re-qV-7tRMddDVnG_e-6f0GZ8&hl=en&ei=fcYmTMbeIcf7nAe_2ri8Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCgQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false http://books.google.com/books?id=4vm2xK3yn34C&printsec=f...
jerf 16y ago
This was on HN a bit ago, and you reminded me of it: http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~damian/papers/HTML/ModestProposal.html http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~damian/papers/HTML/ModestProp... Basically a fully-fleshed out version of your idea.
fexl 16y ago
The rationale is that the type declaration demonstrates how you use the variable. For example: char *(*fp)(int, float *) You now have a variable called "fp". Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. Call that function by passing it an int and a float pointer inside parentheses. Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. That gives you a char. Same kind of thing here: char *strings[10] You now have a variable called "strings". Index that array by putting an offset less than 10 inside square brackets. Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. That gives you a char. Here's a simpler example: char *str You now have a variable called "str". Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. That gives you a char. Here's the simplest example of all: char ch; You now have a variable called "ch". That gives you a char.

An ML like notation would be even more cool: char *str[10]; str : [10] (*char) char *(*fp)( int, float *); fp : *((int, *float) -> *char) void (*si

endgame 16y ago

AIUI, the explanation is that they wanted this idea of "declaration follows use". For simple things, this works kind of nicely: char *foo; Says that *foo will have type `char`. This sounds good in theory, but famously breaks down when things get more complicated (arrays of function pointers, multiple declarations at once, &c.).

mturmon 16y ago
Yes, see van der Linden's Deep C Secrets: http://books.google.com/books?id=4vm2xK3yn34C&printsec=frontcover&dq=deep+c+secrets&source=bl&ots=Hna8W92Id0&sig=G7re-qV-7tRMddDVnG_e-6f0GZ8&hl=en&ei=fcYmTMbeIcf7nAe_2ri8Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCgQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false http://books.google.com/books?id=4vm2xK3yn34C&printsec=f...

jerf 16y ago

This was on HN a bit ago, and you reminded me of it: http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~damian/papers/HTML/ModestProposal.html http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~damian/papers/HTML/ModestProp... Basically a fully-fleshed out version of your idea.

fexl 16y ago

The rationale is that the type declaration demonstrates how you use the variable. For example: char *(*fp)(int, float *) You now have a variable called "fp". Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. Call that function by passing it an int and a float pointer inside parentheses. Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. That gives you a char. Same kind of thing here: char *strings[10] You now have a variable called "strings". Index that array by putting an offset less than 10 inside square brackets. Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. That gives you a char. Here's a simpler example: char *str You now have a variable called "str". Follow that pointer by putting a * in front of it. That gives you a char. Here's the simplest example of all: char ch; You now have a variable called "ch". That gives you a char.