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Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:09:19 -0400
From: Peter Chapin <PChapin@vtc.vsc.edu>
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Subject: Re: actual for variable name must be variable compiler error
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Xref: number.nntp.dca.giganews.com comp.lang.ada:189251
Date: 2014-09-30T08:09:19-04:00
List-Id: <comp.lang.ada>

On 2014-09-29 20:27, Simon Clubley wrote:

> However, I want to make it clear I don't write production code like
> that. If an in parameter needs modifying in a C program it gets copied
> into a local variable and worked on there. Modifying an in parameter
> in the way it's done in my example just feels so very wrong to me even
> when the language lets you do it...

In C parameters have the same status as local variables. If it is
convenient to modify it, then I modify it just as I might modify a
local. If it is not something to be modified one can declare it const as
with any local

void f(const int x)
{
    x = 5;   // Error. Modifying a const.
}

I use a tool (PC-Lint) that can be configured to remind me whenever a
parameter could be declared const. I generally try to follow its advice
in this area.

Peter