error: anachronistic old-style base class initializer

Question

The following code produces the subsequent compilation error on all versions of GCC that I\'ve tried, in C++98, C++11 and C++14 modes:

struct T
{
    T(void*         


        

Answer 1

This was described specifically in the ARM, Section 18.3.2 as an anachronism.

The reason for such features was, typically, providing continuity to older versions of C++ or to C with classes. All "anachronisms" had undesirable characteristics. Compilers were not required to provide such features but, if they did, were obliged to permit a programmer to deactivate it and/or be warned about using it.