array decay

[Mantorok Redgormor]

array doesn't decay when operand of sizeof, or & or when the array is
a string or wide-string literal initializer.

I understand the first two, but the thing about being used as an
initializer means what? can someone give an example?


- nethlek

 

[Kevin Bracey]

array doesn't decay when operand of sizeof, or & or when the array is
a string or wide-string literal initializer.

I understand the first two, but the thing about being used as an
initializer means what? can someone give an example?

It's talking specifically about string literals (which you may not realise
are actually of array type), when used to initialise an array. Example:

char a[20] = "Hello";

I'm not quite sure why the standard feels the need to say that, as I thought
such an initialiser was a special case anyway. I can't say I ever viewed it
as an actual assignment of one array to another; I just thought of it as a
specially recognised syntactical form.