can VS2010 compile when declarations are not at the beginning of the function?

Question

Newbie question.

I am trying to get libcork to compile with VS2010.

In C I guess you typically have to declare variables at the beginning of the function like this:

void
cork_hash_table_clear(struct cork_hash_table *table)
{

    DEBUG("(clear) Removing all entries");

    size_t  i;  // <--- fails to compile unless moved before DEBUG.
    ...

But libcork is rife with definitions/declarations as they are used in code. I wonder if there is a VS compiler option that allows this? I'm sorry if this question is not new, but all I get is a syntax error and I don't have any helpful terms to use to search the VS docs.

No, it's a [well-known grievance](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/146381/visual-studio-support-for-new-c-c-standards) that visual studio supports only a severely limited number of C99 features. — cnicutar, Aug 13 '12 at 18:33

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:56

Intermixed declarations and statements within a function were introduced into C in the 1999 version of the standard (C99); unfortunately VS decided not to follow the standard past the 1990 version.

You may be able to compile the code as C++, although this could well break in interesting ways as C is not a strict subset of C++. Herb Sutter recommends using Intel CC or gcc if the code is not compatible with C++.

The question Visual Studio support for new C / C++ standards? has some interesting content, although it covers C++ as well (where VS is far better at keeping pace).

can VS2010 compile when declarations are not at the beginning of the function?

1 Answers1