You have to use a constant expression, one that produce always the same value.

const int specLength = 17;
int spec[specLength - 1];

Otherwise, the compiler won't know how much space reserve for the array.

You have to use a constant expression, one that produce always the same value.

const int specLength = 17;
int spec[specLength - 1];

Otherwise, the compiler won't know how much space reserve for the array.

The problem with C/C++ is that the compiler doesn't really know if a variable is modified somewhere or not (thru pointers, for example). You have to tell the compiler that something is static, not changing.

You can also use a #define for the same porpuse:

#define SPEC_LENGTH 17
int spec[SPEC_LENGTH]

Why both? const int val=17 means that val has a type (int). Using #define is just a text search-and-replace before compiling. So, SPEC_LENGTH has no type at all. If needed, you have to use a cast, like (int) SPEC_LENGTH.