FIX: Problems Using Parentheses to Denote Array Subscripts

ID: Q115437

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE), included with:
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.5
- Microsoft Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, version 1.0

SYMPTOMS

Compiling the sample code below with Visual C++ 32-bit Edition causes the compiler to generate the following error message:

fatal error C1001: INTERNAL COMPILER ERROR
(compiler file 'msc1.cpp', line 602)

The compiler should instead generate the following error:

error C2064: term does not evaluate to a function

Compiling the sample code with Visual C++, version 1.5, under Windows NT gives the following error message:

fatal error C1001: internal compiler error
(compiler file 'msc1.cpp', line 585)

Again, "error C2064: term does not evaluate to a function" should display.

When the code below is compiled with Visual C++, versions 1.0 and 1.5 under Windows 3.1, no errors are generated. The compiler effectively ignores the erroneous line. If we compile at warning level 4 (CL /W4), the following warning is generated:

warning C4100: 'push_this' : unreferenced formal parameter

This warning shows that the erroneous line was ignored.

CAUSE

Incorrectly compiled code uses parentheses () instead of brackets [] to denote array subscripts.

RESOLUTION

Fix the code by changing the parentheses to brackets.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug was corrected in C/C++ compiler version 9.0, included in Visual C++ 32-bit Edition, version 2.0.

Sample Code


    // Compile options needed:    none
      #include <iostream.h>

      class stack_class {
           int stack_data[10];
           int stack_ptr;
      public:
           void init(void);
           int push(int push_this);
      };

      void stack_class::init(void) {stack_ptr = -1;};

      int stack_class::push(int push_this)
      {
           if (stack_ptr >= 99)
                return(0);

           //ERROR: (++stack_ptr) - Change to [++stack_ptr]
           stack_data(++stack_ptr) = push_this;
                return(1);
      };

      void main()
      {
           stack_class stack;

           stack.push(100);
      }

Additional query words: 1.00 1.50 8.00 8.00c

Keywords : kbCompiler kbCPPonly kbVC
Version : :1.0,1.5
Platform : MS-DOS NT WINDOWS
Issue type :