On Feb 7, 2008 1:05 PM, dplescia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Please excuse this relatively naive question, but what is the
> significance to the double-underline prefix of some types in C?

They are what are called 'reserved identifiers' which basically means
that you, as a programmer, should not create any. You are free to use
any that your implementation makes available however.

The relevant section from C99:

----8< ----
7.1.3 Reserved identifiers
 #1
 Each header declares or defines all identifiers listed in its
associated subclause, and optionally declares or defines identifiers
listed in its associated future library directions subclause and
identifiers which are always reserved either for any use or for use as
file scope identifiers.
 -- All identifiers that begin with an underscore and either an
uppercase letter or another underscore are always reserved for any
use.
[...]
#2
 No other identifiers are reserved. If the program declares or defines
an identifier in a context in which it is reserved (other than as
allowed by 7.1.4), or defines a reserved identifier as a macro name,
the behavior is undefined.
 #3
 If the program removes (with #undef) any macro definition of an
identifier in the first group listed above, the behavior is undefined.
---->8----

-- 
PJH

http://shabbleland.myminicity.com/ind

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