Attribution in first line on switch statement make a error in gcc

Question

Why the code doesn't work unless I remove the comment?

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){
    int num = 5;
    switch(num){
        case 5:
            //printf("");
            int another = 1;
            printf("%d", num+another);
            break;
    }
}

gcc returns an error:

prog.c: In function ‘main’:
prog.c:7:13: error: a label can only be part of a statement and a declaration is not a statement

Thanks.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/92396/why-cant-variables-be-declared-in-a-switch-statement — Donal, Aug 18 '14 at 00:06

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:57

The reason is outlined here: Why can't variables be declared in a switch statement?

As a workaround, you can do this:

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){
    int num = 5;
    switch(num){
        case 5:;
            //printf("");
            int another = 1;
            printf("%d", num+another);
            break;
    }
}

include a semicolon after the case as a workaround.Fool the compiler into thinking a statement follows and not a declaration. Taken from here

Attribution in first line on switch statement make a error in gcc

1 Answers1