Re: [cc65] declaring variables after code

Apr 23, 2010 at 12:21 PM: Thomas Giesel <skoe@directbox.com> wrote:
> On many compilers it gives better results to declare all variables
> at the beginning and not in nested blocks. This is because the
> stack frame is extended and shrinked on block entries and exits.

I would consider that primarily a compiler limitation.  In my
compiler work I've always mapped the stack space for the whole
function at once.  I can't think of any advantage to the extra
stack work; in fact  before now, that option never even crossed
my mind.

> In C the reasons to do this are rare. In C++ it may be useful if
> constructors are involved, but that's a completely different language,

I assume you are referring to declaring variables in the body of
the text?  I come from a Pascal background (after C64 BASIC and
ML, of course) so when I took up C/C++ this was a foreign
concept.  However, I've grown to like the flexibility--I'd
rather see a declaration near where the variable is first used.

I don't declare all variables this way;  I think the primary vars
are best at the top of the function.  But for variabls that are
not clearly part of the function's overall purpose, I think
that to put them at the top just makes extra clutter there
that deter from the more important identifiers.

[I am NOT trying to fight a holy war here... just sharing a
perspective.]

// Steve
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