From:	dontmailme AT iname DOT com (Steamer)
Newsgroups:	comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject:	Re: gdb problem or just silly me - please help
Date:	Wed, 03 May 2000 09:23:11 GMT
Organization:	always disorganized
Lines:	25
Message-ID:	<390fefef.8895067@news.freeserve.net>
References:	<KDINAGPDJPIJCAAA AT shared1-mail DOT whowhere DOT com>
NNTP-Posting-Host:	modem-205.blue-spotted-stingray.dialup.pol.co.uk
X-Trace:	newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk 957345792 29883 62.136.238.205 (3 May 2000 09:23:12 GMT)
NNTP-Posting-Date:	3 May 2000 09:23:12 GMT
X-Complaints-To:	abuse AT theplanet DOT net
X-Newsreader:	Forte Free Agent 1.11/32.235
To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway:	from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Reply-To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com

nimrod a. abing wrote:

>char *a_string_array[] = {
>  "Now is the time for all good men",
>  "To destroy the earth",
>  "And have beer parties across the galaxy.",
>  ""
>};
[snip]
>extern char **a_string_array;
[snip]
>Now in most C books,
>they say `char **string_array' is equivalent to 
>`char *string_array[]'.

I hope not.

>Now why does it crash?

Because you've told the compiler that a_string_array is a pointer
to a pointer to char, when in fact it's an array of pointers to
char.  So when you refer to a_string_array[0] the code will try
to interpret the four bytes "Now " as a pointer.

S.

- Raw text -