INFO: Formal Parameters Default to Type int (51198)

SUMMARY

In Microsoft C, a function declaration such as the following does not generate a compiler error even though the variable "voida" is not referenced:

   void main (voida)
   {
   }

NOTE: This is true only for the C compiler, not the C++ compiler. The C and QuickC compilers do not generate an error because the variable "voida" defaults to a variable of type int. The compilers understand the above function definition because they recognize the "old style" of ANSI C declarations as well as the new. In general, the equivalents of the above code are as follows:

   Old Style                           New Style
   ---------                           ---------

   void function (voida)               void function (int voida)
   int voida; <- default if missing    {
   {                                   }
   }
 

Please refer to "The C Programming Language" by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie for a discussion on differences between old and new style with regards to function definition.