Error using unsigned int bit-field struct in C

Question

I am using struct with unsigned int bit-fields perfectly, but suddenly, after duplicating one of them, the compiler is losing its mind (it would seem). Here's my code:

typedef struct myStruct {
    unsigned int myVar:1;
} myStruct; // my compiler requires TWO declarations of the name for typedef

myStruct myNewStructVar;

myNewStructVar.myVar = 0; // throws error that "myNewStructVar" is unknown to the compiler

What gives? Again, I have two versions of this EXACT thing and it works fine.

C89 for a microchip, same error in Xcode using the C89. Xcode throws "unknown type name" error. — Mark Löwe
– Mark Löwe, Commented Nov 28, 2013 at 3:52
So maybe someone can answer this, it wasn't allowing me to do this in the variable declaration area OUTSIDE of a method. However, inside a method it worked fine. Geesh! — Mark Löwe
– Mark Löwe, Commented Nov 28, 2013 at 4:16
Sorry, I'm doing C not C++. It's standard to not assign values outside of a method using dot notation. I'm spoiled by ++. :) — Mark Löwe
– Mark Löwe, Commented Nov 29, 2013 at 5:10

Baldrick · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-28 05:07:31Z

1

You can declare the variable as a global outside of function scope, but you can't have a separate line of code to set its value. Setting the value on a separate line is executable code rather than initialization, and is not permitted there.

If you want to initialize it at the point of declaration, try:

myStruct myNewStructVar = {0};

This should work where it is now.

answered Nov 28, 2013 at 5:07

Baldrick

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