The Use of c++decl

cdecl and c++decl are two nice tools to check syntax or to generate declaration of C and C++ respectively.

for example, using c++decl (the text in bold is the one we type):

$ cdecl

Type `help' or `?' for help
c++decl>

c++decl> declare foo as pointer to member of class X function (arg1, arg2) returning reference to class Y

class Y &(X::*foo)(arg1, arg2)

c++decl>

c++decl> declare foo as reference to class X

class X &foo

c++decl>

c++decl> cast foo into reference to class X

(class X &)foo

c++decl>

We can also use them to check a declaration syntax, for example:

c++decl> explain int (*a)[5]

declare a as pointer to array 5 of int

c++decl>

c++decl> explain long **foo[10]

declare foo as array 10 of pointer to pointer to long

c++decl>

c++decl> explain int*&(foo);

declare foo as reference to pointer to int

c++decl>

The function can also be used to translate an english declaration to C (or C++) declaration.  For example:

$ c++decl declare "i as array 5 of pointer to function(int,int) returning reference to class X"

class X &(*i[5])(int , int )

$

$ c++decl declare "i as array 5 of pointer to function(reference to class X,constant reference to int) returning reference to class X"

class X &(*i[5])(class X &, int & const )

$

$ c++decl declare "const_ptr as const pointer to const int"

const int * const const_ptr

$ c++decl declare "const_ptr as const pointer to const reference to class X"

class X & const * const const_ptr

$

c++decl> declare myfunc as const pointer to function (const pointer to int, reference to class X) returning void

void (* const myfunc)(int * const , class X &)

c++decl>

c++decl> declare myfunctpr as array of pointer to function (void) returning int

int (*myfunctpr[])(void )

c++decl>

declare myptr as pointer to array 10 of struct MyStruct

struct MyStruct (*myptr)[10]

c++decl>