Confusion about const syntax

Question

I'm having some trouble reading a line in a program that looks like this:

char* const *(*next) ();

I think next is a pointer to a function returning a pointer to a const pointer to a char, but I'm still a bit confused. If someone could answer this ASAP that would be great!

It can help reading the signature right to left. Especially with "strange" pointers as this. — Skurmedel
– Skurmedel, Commented May 18, 2011 at 9:43

makes · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-18 10:41:19Z

5

cdecl can help you understand the more complicated declarations in C.

answered May 18, 2011 at 10:41

makes

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1 Comment

Chris Lutz Over a year ago

Give a man a fishing pole and he can read the most horrendously complicated type declarations conceivable.

user703016 · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-18 11:45:49Z

char* const* (*next) ();

You are declaring a function pointer called next that returns a char* const* (pointer to a char* const). You were right (:

Usage :

char* const* ret = next(); or char* const* ret = (*next)();

takes an unspecified number of arguments; not "no arguments"

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