CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++
littlefish
littlefish

Reputation: 71

C++ multiple type assignment

I not very familiar with C++, have some issues with the multiple assignments

int a = 0, b = 0;

works

int i;
double d;
char c;
c = i = d = 42;

also works but why this does not works.

int a = 4, float b = 4.5, bool ab = TRUE;

Upvotes: 1

Views: 149

Answers (1)

tadman
tadman

Reputation: 211580

This is to do with the allowed syntax. The format is, in very high-level terms, roughly:

type varName [ = expr ][, varName [ = expr ] ]?;

Where there is no allowance at all for another type to be introduced mid-stream.

In practice declaring multiple variables per line can lead to a lot of ambiguity and confusion.

Quick quiz: What is the initial value of a? What type is b?

int* a, b = 0;

If you guessed a was a NULL pointer and b was int* you'd be wrong. This is why it's often preferable to spell it out long-form so there's absolute clarity:

int* a;
int b = 0;

Upvotes: 4

Related Questions