Referring to a Type with `typeof'
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Another way to refer to the type of an expression is with `typeof'.
The syntax of using of this keyword looks like `sizeof', but the
construct acts semantically like a type name defined with `typedef'.
There are two ways of writing the argument to `typeof': with an
expression or with a type. Here is an example with an expression:
typeof (x[0](1))
This assumes that `x' is an array of pointers to functions; the type
described is that of the values of the functions.
Here is an example with a typename as the argument:
typeof (int *)
Here the type described is that of pointers to `int'.
If you are writing a header file that must work when included in ISO
C programs, write `__typeof__' instead of `typeof'. Note:Alternate
Keywords.
A `typeof'-construct can be used anywhere a typedef name could be
used. For example, you can use it in a declaration, in a cast, or
inside of `sizeof' or `typeof'.
* This declares `y' with the type of what `x' points to.
typeof (*x) y;
* This declares `y' as an array of such values.
typeof (*x) y[4];
* This declares `y' as an array of pointers to characters:
typeof (typeof (char *)[4]) y;
It is equivalent to the following traditional C declaration:
char *y[4];
To see the meaning of the declaration using `typeof', and why it
might be a useful way to write, let's rewrite it with these macros:
#define pointer(T) typeof(T *)
#define array(T, N) typeof(T [N])
Now the declaration can be rewritten this way:
array (pointer (char), 4) y;
Thus, `array (pointer (char), 4)' is the type of arrays of 4
pointers to `char'.