declaring an array in a structure with a #define length

[athanasios.silis]

Hello everyone,
i am attempting to make a structure

#include "globalVars .h"

struct myStruct{
int offset;
unsigned char uChars[numOfGlobalVars -1];

} saveVars, getVars;
and i have #define numOfGlobalVars in globalVars.h... it does not
compile saying

main.cpp:23: error: 'struct myStruct' has no member named 'uChars',
when i try to access these uChars later on in my code.

should i not be able to do that?

nass

[Tim Love]

at************* *@gmail.com writes:

>Hello everyone,
i am attempting to make a structure

>#include "globalVars .h"

>struct myStruct{
int offset;
unsigned char uChars[numOfGlobalVars -1];

>} saveVars, getVars;

>and i have #define numOfGlobalVars in globalVars.h... it does not
compile

It works for me. I suggest you post a minimal but complete example.

[gangs]

at************* *@gmail.com wrote:

Hello everyone,
i am attempting to make a structure

#include "globalVars .h"

struct myStruct{
int offset;
unsigned char uChars[numOfGlobalVars -1];

} saveVars, getVars;
and i have #define numOfGlobalVars in globalVars.h... it does not
compile saying

main.cpp:23: error: 'struct myStruct' has no member named 'uChars',
when i try to access these uChars later on in my code.

should i not be able to do that?

nass

It worked for me. Tell us a little more about the compiler you've used
the version and stuff.

gangs.

[athanasios.silis]

hello again
g++ 3.3.6 compiler on slackware linux but
i am using the qmake utility of QtDesigner to generate the makefile,
then i just type make...
still no qlibraries are used in this part of the program...
here im sending u the fileIO.h and fileIO.cpp as well as a globalVars.h
and a main.cpp that i made to test the fileIO files:

/*------------globalVars.h----------------------------------------------------------*/

#ifndef GLOBALVARS_H
#define GLOBALVARS_H

int appDateTimeOffs et;
unsigned char operationalStat e; //0=auto, 1=manual,
2=scheduled, 3=logging
unsigned char logSamplingPeri od; //0=off, 1=1min, 2=10min,
3=30min, 4=1hour
unsigned char logType; //0=cyclical, 1=linear
unsigned char changeLog; //0=per1min, 1=per1hour,
2=per1day

#endif //GLOBALVARS_H
/*------------fileIO.h----------------------------------------------------------*/

#ifndef FILEIO_H
#define FILEIO_H

void writeToFile(con st void *buffer,const int &unitSize,co nst char
*filename="../globalsFile.txt ");

int readFromFile(vo id *buffer,const long bufSize,const char
*filename="../globalsFile.txt ");

#endif //FILEIO_H

/*------------fileIO.cpp----------------------------------------------------------*/

#include "fileIO.h"
#include <stdio.h>

void writeToFile(con st void *buffer,const int &unitSize,co nst char
*filename)
{
FILE * pFile;
pFile = fopen (filename,"wt") ;
fwrite(buffer,u nitSize,1,pFile );
fclose(pFile);

}

int readFromFile(vo id *buffer,const long bufSize,const char *filename)
{
FILE * pFile;
pFile = fopen (filename,"rt") ;

if (pFile==NULL) return (0);

fread (buffer,bufSize ,1,pFile);

fclose (pFile);

return (1);
}

/*------------main.cpp----------------------------------------------------------*/

#include "fileIO.h"
#include "../globalVars.h"
#include <iostream.h>

struct myStruct{
int offset;
//unsigned char uChars[numOfGlobalVars-1];
unsigned char uChar1;
unsigned char uChar2;
unsigned char uChar3;
unsigned char uChar4;
} saveVars, getVars;

int main()
{
//init the global variables
appDateTimeOffs et=99;
operationalStat e=96;
logSamplingPeri od=101;
logType=75;
changeLog=69;

//fill up the structure with the globalVariables values
saveVars.offset =appDateTimeOff set;
saveVars.uChar1 =operationalSta te;
saveVars.uChar2 =logSamplingPer iod;
saveVars.uChar3 =logType;
saveVars.uChar4 =changeLog;

writeToFile(&sa veVars,sizeof(s aveVars));

//reinit the globalVars
appDateTimeOffs et=0;
operationalStat e=0;
logSamplingPeri od=0;
logType=0;
changeLog=0;

if (readFromFile(& getVars,sizeof( getVars)))
cout<<"all OK"<<endl;

//refill the globalVars with the readFromFile values
appDateTimeOffs et=getVars.offs et;
operationalStat e=getVars.uChar 1;
logSamplingPeri od=getVars.uCha r2;
logType=getVars .uChar3;
changeLog=getVa rs.uChar4;

cout<<appDateTi meOffset<<endl;
cout<<operation alState<<endl;
cout<<logSampli ngPeriod<<endl;
cout<<logType<< endl;
cout<<changeLog <<endl;

}//main

/*-----------------------------END-------------------------------------------------------------*/

i have switched to 4 independent entries (the uChar# declarations) in
order to make it work... but thats pretty much it.. if you want to
compile it just change the uChar# to uChars[#]..
Thank you for your help.
nass
gangs wrote:

at************* *@gmail.com wrote:

Hello everyone,
i am attempting to make a structure

#include "globalVars .h"

struct myStruct{
int offset;
unsigned char uChars[numOfGlobalVars -1];

} saveVars, getVars;
and i have #define numOfGlobalVars in globalVars.h... it does not
compile saying

main.cpp:23: error: 'struct myStruct' has no member named 'uChars',
when i try to access these uChars later on in my code.

should i not be able to do that?

nass

It worked for me. Tell us a little more about the compiler you've used
the version and stuff.

gangs.

[Howard]

<at************ **@gmail.comwro te in message
news:11******** *************@i 42g2000cwa.goog legroups.com...

Hello everyone,
i am attempting to make a structure

#include "globalVars .h"

struct myStruct{
int offset;
unsigned char uChars[numOfGlobalVars -1];

} saveVars, getVars;
and i have #define numOfGlobalVars in globalVars.h... it does not
compile saying

main.cpp:23: error: 'struct myStruct' has no member named 'uChars',
when i try to access these uChars later on in my code.

Are you using "struct myStruct" as a local variable or parameter type
somewhere? Try just "myStruct" as the type. This is C++, not C. (Right?)

(Also, next time, post the code that's causing the problem. You've left out
main, where the error message says the problem is.)

-Howard

[Howard]

<at************ **@gmail.comwro te in message
news:11******** **************@ s13g2000cwa.goo glegroups.com.. .

hello again
g++ 3.3.6 compiler on slackware linux but
i am using the qmake utility of QtDesigner to generate the makefile,
then i just type make...
still no qlibraries are used in this part of the program...
here im sending u the fileIO.h and fileIO.cpp as well as a globalVars.h
and a main.cpp that i made to test the fileIO files:

/*------------globalVars.h----------------------------------------------------------*/

#ifndef GLOBALVARS_H
#define GLOBALVARS_H

int appDateTimeOffs et;
unsigned char operationalStat e; //0=auto, 1=manual,
2=scheduled, 3=logging
unsigned char logSamplingPeri od; //0=off, 1=1min, 2=10min,
3=30min, 4=1hour
unsigned char logType; //0=cyclical, 1=linear
unsigned char changeLog; //0=per1min, 1=per1hour,
2=per1day

#endif //GLOBALVARS_H

<snipped fileIO stuff>

/*------------main.cpp----------------------------------------------------------*/

#include "fileIO.h"
#include "../globalVars.h"
#include <iostream.h>

struct myStruct{
int offset;
//unsigned char uChars[numOfGlobalVars-1];
unsigned char uChar1;
unsigned char uChar2;
unsigned char uChar3;
unsigned char uChar4;
} saveVars, getVars;

int main()
{
//init the global variables
appDateTimeOffs et=99;
operationalStat e=96;
logSamplingPeri od=101;
logType=75;
changeLog=69;

//fill up the structure with the globalVariables values
saveVars.offset =appDateTimeOff set;
saveVars.uChar1 =operationalSta te;
saveVars.uChar2 =logSamplingPer iod;
saveVars.uChar3 =logType;
saveVars.uChar4 =changeLog;

writeToFile(&sa veVars,sizeof(s aveVars));

//reinit the globalVars
appDateTimeOffs et=0;
operationalStat e=0;
logSamplingPeri od=0;
logType=0;
changeLog=0;

if (readFromFile(& getVars,sizeof( getVars)))
cout<<"all OK"<<endl;

//refill the globalVars with the readFromFile values
appDateTimeOffs et=getVars.offs et;
operationalStat e=getVars.uChar 1;
logSamplingPeri od=getVars.uCha r2;
logType=getVars .uChar3;
changeLog=getVa rs.uChar4;

cout<<appDateTi meOffset<<endl;
cout<<operation alState<<endl;
cout<<logSampli ngPeriod<<endl;
cout<<logType<< endl;
cout<<changeLog <<endl;

}//main

/*-----------------------------END-------------------------------------------------------------*/

i have switched to 4 independent entries (the uChar# declarations) in
order to make it work... but thats pretty much it.. if you want to
compile it just change the uChar# to uChars[#]..
Thank you for your help.
nass

Please don't top-post. Post responses below or interspersed with what
you're quoting. And trim off extra stuff that's not needed, ok? (Thanks.)

Where is numOfGlobalVars defined? I don't see it anywhere here. If you've
left it out, you'll get more than just the one error you asked about.
Perhaps you're also getting an error that numOfGlobalVars is undefined?

One suggestion: don't use globals unless you have to. Why not declare
getVars and saveVars as local variables in main? I see no reason they need
to be globals.

-Howard

[Howard]

<at************ **@gmail.comwro te in message
news:11******** **************@ s13g2000cwa.goo glegroups.com.. .

>
/*------------globalVars.h----------------------------------------------------------*/

#ifndef GLOBALVARS_H
#define GLOBALVARS_H

int appDateTimeOffs et;
unsigned char operationalStat e; //0=auto, 1=manual,
2=scheduled, 3=logging
unsigned char logSamplingPeri od; //0=off, 1=1min, 2=10min,
3=30min, 4=1hour
unsigned char logType; //0=cyclical, 1=linear
unsigned char changeLog; //0=per1min, 1=per1hour,
2=per1day

#endif //GLOBALVARS_H

This probably isn't a good idea. For one thing, it's best to avoid global
variables whenever possible. These could all have gone inside your main()
function. There's no need to make them globals.

Second, if you ever include this header file from another unit, you'll get
an "undefined symbol" error, because of the include guards. And removing
the include guards would result in "muliply defined" errors.

If you really need to use global variables, and if you need a header file
you can include in multiple units to see those variables, then here's what
you do: Declare the global variables in an implementation (.cpp) file.
Then, declare them as "extern" in the header file. This lets everyone who
includes the header file see those symbols, without getting multiple
definition errors.

But as I said, try to avoid using globals in the first place, and life
(well, at least your programming life) will be much easier.

-Howard

[Ian Collins]

at************* *@gmail.com wrote:

hello again
g++ 3.3.6 compiler on slackware linux but
i am using the qmake utility of QtDesigner to generate the makefile,
then i just type make...
still no qlibraries are used in this part of the program...
here im sending u the fileIO.h and fileIO.cpp as well as a globalVars.h
and a main.cpp that i made to test the fileIO files:

/*------------globalVars.h----------------------------------------------------------*/

#ifndef GLOBALVARS_H
#define GLOBALVARS_H

int appDateTimeOffs et;
unsigned char operationalStat e; //0=auto, 1=manual,
2=scheduled, 3=logging
unsigned char logSamplingPeri od; //0=off, 1=1min, 2=10min,
3=30min, 4=1hour
unsigned char logType; //0=cyclical, 1=linear
unsigned char changeLog; //0=per1min, 1=per1hour,
2=per1day

#endif //GLOBALVARS_H

As others have said, putting the definitions of globals in a header is a
bad idea.

One more thing, if you variables have a fixed set of valid values, use
enums.

--
Ian Collins.

[nass]

People,
i do appreciate all your efforts to pull me away from using global
variables and i can assure you i don't often.. the code i posted here
is trivial however, just a test main.cpp to make sure that fileIO.h,
fileIO.cpp work correctly... so yes, these 2 structures are not
defined globally there.. they did not need to indeed...
however some other important variables declared in globalVars.h file
are assigned values by forms that are are generated at run time and
also get destroyed then to free up memory.. and it would get messy if i
tried to include every header file containing an extern declaration to
every other simply cause i would have declared a variable in their
corresponding cpp...

anyhow you tell me that i have posted in complete code.. i mean come
on, did you read what i have included? main.h is there, and
globalVars.h is there too along with fileIO.h and fileIO.cpp... in fact
i was thinking i wrote too much code... however since i know that this
main.cpp SHOULD compile i decided to post it all just in case i have
overlooked smth else that causes the error in compilation.

once again i thank you for your advice - my programming experience is
very limited, yet i know to not globalise everything. still lets focus
on the fact that
struct myStruct {unsigned char uChar[numOfGlobalVars-1];} does not
compile.
nass

Ian Collins wrote:

at************* *@gmail.com wrote:

hello again
g++ 3.3.6 compiler on slackware linux but
i am using the qmake utility of QtDesigner to generate the makefile,
then i just type make...
still no qlibraries are used in this part of the program...
here im sending u the fileIO.h and fileIO.cpp as well as a globalVars.h
and a main.cpp that i made to test the fileIO files:

/*------------globalVars.h----------------------------------------------------------*/

#ifndef GLOBALVARS_H
#define GLOBALVARS_H

int appDateTimeOffs et;
unsigned char operationalStat e; //0=auto, 1=manual,
2=scheduled, 3=logging
unsigned char logSamplingPeri od; //0=off, 1=1min, 2=10min,
3=30min, 4=1hour
unsigned char logType; //0=cyclical, 1=linear
unsigned char changeLog; //0=per1min, 1=per1hour,
2=per1day

#endif //GLOBALVARS_H

As others have said, putting the definitions of globals in a header is a
bad idea.

One more thing, if you variables have a fixed set of valid values, use
enums.

--
Ian Collins.

[Old Wolf]

at************* *@gmail.com wrote:

>and i have #define numOfGlobalVars in globalVars.h... it does not
compile saying

>main.cpp:23: error: 'struct myStruct' has no member named 'uChars',
when i try to access these uChars later on in my code.

/*------------globalVars.h----------------------------------------------------------*/

#ifndef GLOBALVARS_H
#define GLOBALVARS_H

int appDateTimeOffs et;
unsigned char operationalStat e; //0=auto, 1=manual,
2=scheduled, 3=logging
unsigned char logSamplingPeri od; //0=off, 1=1min, 2=10min,
3=30min, 4=1hour
unsigned char logType; //0=cyclical, 1=linear
unsigned char changeLog; //0=per1min, 1=per1hour,
2=per1day

#endif //GLOBALVARS_H

There is no define numOfGlobalVars in globalvars.h .