Why variables can not be declared in a switch statement just after labels?

JIGAR PATEL    c, c++, sample programme, sample programme     switch statement

see this code

#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
   int i=1;
   switch(i)
   {
       case 1: int x=10;
               printf(" x is %d",x);
       break;
    }
    return 0;
}

Do you think this code will compile? if yes then you need to read this post….

see the compile snapshot of that code http://ideone.com/qZVbj

that code will not be compile and get error

prog.c: In function ‘main’:
prog.c:8: error: a label can only be part of a statement and a declaration is not a statement

Case statements are only 'labels'

In c according to spec

§6.8.1 Labeled Statements:

labeled-statement:
    identifier : statement
    case constant-expression : statement
    default : statement

In c there is no any clause that allows for a “labeled declaration”. It’s just not part of the language.

So

case 1: int x=10;
        printf(" x is %d",x);
break;

so this will not compile see http://codepad.org/YiyLQTYw gcc is giving error

label can only be a part of statement and declaration is not a statement 

even

case 1: int x;
                      x=10;
                      printf(" x is %d",x);
              break;

this is also not compile see http://codepad.org/BXnRD3bu here also i am getting same error.

In C++ according to spec

labeled-declaration is allowed but labeled -initialization is not allowed.

see this

http://codepad.org/ZmQ0IyDG

Solution to such condition is three ways

1> Either use new scope using {}

Case statements are only ‘labels’. This means the compiler will interpret this as a jump directly to the label.The problem here is one of scope. Your curly brackets define the scope as everything inside the ‘switch’ statement. This means that you are left with a scope where a jump will be performed further into the code skipping the initialization. The correct way to handle this is to define a scope specific to that case statement and define your variable within it.

case 1:
       {
        int x=10;
        printf(" x is %d",x);
       }
break;

2> or use dummy statement with label

case 1: ;
        int x=10;
        printf(" x is %d",x);
break;

3> declare variable before switch() and initilize it with different values in case statement if it fulfill your requirement

main()
{
int x;   // declare before
switch(a)
{
case 1: x=10;
break;
case 2: x=20;
break;
}
}

some more things with switch statement

newer writes any statements in switch which are not part of any label. because they will never executed .
NOTE: declaration can be written there but not statement (int i; is declaration but int i = 10; is declaration + assignment = statement so assignment will not be perform there..!)

switch(a)
{
printf("This will never print"); // this will never executed
case 1:
        printf(" 1");
break;
 
default :
break;
}

see this http://codepad.org/PA1quYX3

This is what i understood after my graduation completes………..!!!!

JIGAR PATEL

hey I am an Artist who love to write code…! Well I am an EC graduate From Ganpat University and now i am working as Embedded software engineer in one private firm.. find me at here JigAr Patel

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