Q49571: typedefs Not Allowed for Function Definitions

Article: Q49571
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 5.00 5.10 | 5.10
Operating System(s): MS-DOS | OS/2
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | buglist5.10 | mspl13_c
Last Modified: 16-JAN-1990

It is not valid to use a typedef statement in a function definition
according to the ANSI C draft, December 7, 1988, Section 3.7.30, and
also Footnote 76, which state, "The intent (of the rule) is that the
type category in a function definition cannot be inherited from a
typedef". This statement applies to Microsoft C Versions 5.00 and
5.10. Using typedefs in function definitions can cause various errors
at compile time. The function definition is followed by the function
body included in "{}" (curly braces).

The following code fragment produces errors at compile time due to the
typedef in the function definition. In the code sample, error C1059
"out of near heap space" is generated. Making slight modifications to
the code, however, produces various other errors such as error C2055
"expected formal parameter list, not a type list".

Code Sample
-----------

     #include <stdio.h>

     typedef void FTYPE (int f);

     FTYPE foo_function  /* function definition with type from typedef
                                is a syntax constraint error */
     { printf ("f=%u",f);
     }

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with C Version 5.10. We
are researching this problem and will post new information as it
becomes available.

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