Q65358: C 6.00 Incorrectly Evaluates Pointer Arrays to Constant Data

Article: Q65358
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 6.00   | 6.00
Operating System(s): MS-DOS | OS/2
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | s_quickc buglist6.00 | mspl13_c
Last Modified: 17-DEC-1990

When an array of pointers to constant data is declared, the C version
6.00 and QuickC versions 2.50 and 2.51 compilers incorrectly consider
both pointers and data to be constant.

The following sample code demonstrates the problem:

void main(void)
{
 const int *p[1];
 const int Z = 0;

 p[0] = &Z;
}

When the sample code is compiled, the following two errors are
produced:

   warning C4132: 'p': const object should be initialized

   error C2166: lvalue specifies const object

Only the data should be constant in this case. The compiler considers
the pointers to be constant, which is in error, and does not allow
their value to be changed.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with the Microsoft C
Compiler version 6.00. We are researching this problem and will post
new information here as it becomes available.

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