Complex declarations

Question

How do I interpret complex declarations like:

int * (* (*fp1) (int) ) [10]; ---> declaration 1
int *( *( *[5])())(); --------> declaration 2
         


        

Answer 1

I've learned the following method long ago:

Start from the type identifier (or the inner parenthesis) and move following a spiral taking the element at right first

In case of

 int * (* (*fp1) (int) ) [10];

You can say:

• fp1 is a (nothing on the right so move left)
• pointer to (move out of the inner parenthesis
• a function taking int as agument (the 1st on the right)
• and returns a pointer to (exit from parenthesis)
• an array of 10 elements of type
• pointer to (nothing left on the right)
• int

Resulting in:

fp1 is a pointer to a function taking an int and returning a pointer to an array of 10 pointers to int

Drawing the actual spiral (in you your mind, at least) helps a lot.