31 character identifier length (was: __STDC__ and non-strictly conforming ANSI C compilers)

Liber nevin1 at ihlpb.ATT.COM
Wed Dec 21 11:33:54 AEST 1988


In article <12643 at bellcore.bellcore.com> sjs at sjs@ctt.bellcore.com (Stan Switzer) writes:

>A compiler that accepts identifiers longer than 31 characters or even
>arbitrarily long identifiers is still a conforming compiler.  It is
>only those which do not accept at least 31 characters uniqueness
>(within a compilation unit) which do not conform.

Although you are correct here (as per 10/88 draft), is this really what
is intended?  Should it really be possible for

	ThirtyTwoCharacterFunctionName00();

	ThirtyTwoCharacterFunctionName01();

to reference different functions on some *conforming* implementations and
to reference the same function on other *conforming* implementions,
without either one having to give out even a warning (Note:  you may
say that the 'function multiply defined' error will come up when
linking takes place; however, if you are using libraries this won't
necessarily happen)?
-- 
NEVIN ":-)" LIBER  AT&T Bell Laboratories  nevin1 at ihlpb.ATT.COM  (312) 979-4751



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