1. the array size is not part of the type

2. array sizes need not be given in parameter declarations

   1. int pairs(int rank_counts[13])

   2. int pairs(int rank_counts[])

   3. the compiler ignores array sizes in parameter declarations

      1. this compiles without error

         int count(int array[5]) { . . .}
         int array[10];
         count(array);
         

3. other mechanisms must be used to indicate array size

   1. explicit size parameter

   2. special array-element value - the null byte

4. arrays passed into a procedure can be modified by the procedure

   1. int a[10] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 };
      f(a);
      if (a[1] == 1) // not necessarily true.
      

   2. the const qualifier prevents array changes

   3. cmd(int count(const int a[], int a_size) { })

5. overwriting arrays in functions is an especially nasty problem to find and fix

This page last modified on 19 June 2001.