Typedefing structs as arrays of size 1

[Fred]

Can anyone explain what the point of this is?

For example, code like:

typedef struct {
int alloc;
char *data;
} my_struct;

typedef my_struct my_type_t[1];

What's the advantage of making the my_type_t type an array of 1
my_struct? Why not either just make it a plain typedef for the struct,
or else make it a typedef for a pointer to the struct?

TIA!

 

[Richard Bos]

Can anyone explain what the point of this is?

For example, code like:

typedef struct {
int alloc;
char *data;
} my_struct;

typedef my_struct my_type_t[1];

What's the advantage of making the my_type_t type an array of 1
my_struct? Why not either just make it a plain typedef for the struct,
or else make it a typedef for a pointer to the struct?

Without context, there seems to be no point. How is my_type_t used?

Richard

 

[Mark Bluemel]

Can anyone explain what the point of this is?

For example, code like:

typedef struct {
int alloc;
char *data;
} my_struct;

typedef my_struct my_type_t[1];

What's the advantage of making the my_type_t type an array of 1
my_struct? Why not either just make it a plain typedef for the struct,
or else make it a typedef for a pointer to the struct?

Without context, there seems to be no point. How is my_type_t used?

There was a discussion of this sort of thing very recently. The normal
reason seems to be to allow a my_struct to be, in effect, passed by
reference without using "&"...

 

[Richard Tobin]

[...]

Another post through an anonymous server, asking a question that was
asked just a week or two ago. I don't know whether it's a troll,
or someone on a course whose tutor wants us to do the teaching, or what,
but I suggest not answering questions with these characteristics.

-- Richard

 

[Kenneth Brody]

Can anyone explain what the point of this is?

For example, code like:

typedef struct {
int alloc;
char *data;
} my_struct;

typedef my_struct my_type_t[1];

What's the advantage of making the my_type_t type an array of 1
my_struct? Why not either just make it a plain typedef for the struct,
or else make it a typedef for a pointer to the struct?

It's an attempt to do things like "pass by reference" rather than
"pass by value" when referring to my_type_t.

(Crossing fingers and hoping I don't mess this up.)

Consider:

void func(void)
{
my_struct foo;
my_type_t bar;

func2(foo,bar);
}

Here, "foo" will be passed by value, but bar will be passed by
reference (sort of) because it's an array.

It has an advantage over a pointer-to-struct, because:

typedef my_struct *my_type_t2;
...
my_type_t2 foobar;

will not allocate storage for the struct.

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