[dcl.fct]
Change: In C++, a function declared with an empty parameter list takes no arguments
. In C, an empty parameter list means that the number and type of the function arguments are unknown
.Example:
int f();
Rationale:
This is to avoid erroneous function calls (i.e., function calls
with the wrong number or type of arguments).
Effect on original feature:
Change to semantics of well-defined feature
. This feature was marked as “obsolescent” in C
.Difficulty of converting:
Syntactic transformation
. The function declarations using C incomplete declaration style must
be completed to become full prototype declarations
.A program may need to be updated further if different calls to the
same (non-prototype) function have different numbers of arguments or
if the type of corresponding arguments differed
.In C, these type definitions are allowed
.Example:
void f( struct S { int a; } arg ) {} enum E { A, B, C } f() {} Rationale:
When comparing types in different translation units, C++ relies
on name equivalence when C relies on structural equivalence
. Regarding parameter types: since the type defined in a parameter list
would be in the scope of the function, the only legal calls in C++
would be from within the function itself
.Effect on original feature:
Deletion of semantically well-defined feature
. Difficulty of converting:
Semantic transformation
. The type definitions must be moved to file scope, or in header files
.This style of type definition is seen as poor coding style
.[dcl.fct.def]
Change: In C++, the syntax for function definition excludes the “old-style” C function
. In C, “old-style” syntax is allowed, but deprecated as “obsolescent”
.Rationale:
Prototypes are essential to type safety
. Effect on original feature:
Deletion of semantically well-defined feature
. Difficulty of converting:
Syntactic transformation
. How widely used:
Common in old programs, but already known to be obsolescent
. [dcl.init.string]
Change: In C++, when initializing an array of character with a string, the number of
characters in the string (including the terminating
'\0') must not exceed the
number of elements in the array
. In C, an array can be initialized with a string even if
the array is not large enough to contain the string-terminating
'\0'.Example:
char array[4] = "abcd";
Rationale:
When these non-terminated arrays are manipulated by standard
string functions, there is potential for major catastrophe
. Effect on original feature:
Deletion of semantically well-defined feature
. Difficulty of converting:
Semantic transformation
. The arrays must be declared one element bigger to contain the
string terminating
'\0'.This style of array initialization is seen as poor coding style
.