mixing pointers and arrays

[alan at allegra.UUCP]

Someone asked for comments about the idea of being allowed to pass
arrays (real arrays, not pointers) as arguments to functions.

I love it!

I would like to say things like

	main() {
		int array1[10], array2[10];

		array1 = array2;

		f(&array1);	/* Call f with the address of array1. */
		g(array2);	/* Call g with array2. */
	}

Arrays should behave like structures.  After all, an array is just a
structure whose elements are of the same type.  (Or, conversely, a
structure is just an array whose elements are not of the same type.)

Unfortunately, I can't see this ever happening, even though it would
make the language more consistent, more powerful, and more elegant.
Too bad.


	Alan Driscoll
	Bell Labs, Murray Hill