syntax error before '[' token

Question

Here is the code

#include<stdio.h>
#include<sys/types.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#include<pthread.h>
typedef struct std_thread
{
 char name[20];
 int hallno;
 int empid;
 char dept[5];
}std[5];

void *print(void *args)
{
 struct std_thread *data=(struct std_thread *)args;
 printf("My thread id is %ld\n",pthread_self());
 printf("Thread %d is executing\n",args);
 printf("Name\tHall No\tEmployee ID\tDepartment\n");
 printf("--------------------------------------------------------");
 printf("%s\t%d\t%d\t%s\n",data->name,data->hallno,data->empid,data->dept);
}

int main()
{
 pthread_t th[5];
 int empid=2020;
 int hall=1;
 char dept[2]="IT";
 char *names[]={"dinesh","vignesh","pradeep","prasath","mohan"};
 int t;
 int i;
 int status;
 for(i=0;i<5;i++)
 {
   std[i].name=names[i]; //Getting error from this line
   std[i].hallno=hall;   //Error at this line
   hall++;
   std[i].empid=empid;  //Error at this line
   empid++;
   std[i].dept=dept;     //Error at this line
   status=pthread_create(&th[i],NULL,print,(void *)&std[i]);
   if(status)
   {
    printf("Error creating threads\n");
    exit(0);
   }

 }
 pthread_exit(NULL);
}

While compiling this code, I'm getting "syntax error before '[' token". What is the reason for this?

Your example contains too much code to demonstrate the problem, please shorten in the future (for instance why have the `print` function defined?) Also be aware that `std` is used to indicate the standard namespace in C++. So naming your variables or types `std` will make it very hard if you ever want to integrate your code into a C++ codebase...you should avoid that (as well as naming things `class`, etc.) — HostileFork says dont trust SE, Dec 13 '11 at 06:25
Ok, HostileFork. Thanks for your advice. Hereafter I won't make mistakes like this. — Dinesh, Dec 13 '11 at 07:04

mange · Answer 1 · 2011-12-13T06:26:23.093

2

I don't think you mean to typedef up the top.

What you've written there makes std an equivalent type as five of the structs in an array, but then you use std as though it is itself an array.

Remove the word typedef from line five and it should be closer to working.

edited Dec 13 '11 at 06:26

answered Dec 13 '11 at 06:18

mange

3,172
18
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score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:20

This declaration does not do what you think it does:

typedef struct std_thread
{
  ...
}std[5];

This declares a struct named std_thread, and then it creates a typedef named std to mean "an array of 5 struct std_thread objects".

You probably wanted one of these two definitions, in order to declare a global object named std as an array of 5 struct std_thread's:

typedef struct std_thread
{
  ...
} std_thread;
std_thread std[5];

// OR

struct std_thread
{
  ..
} std[5];

In the first case, we also create the typedef named std_thread as an alias for struct std_thread; in the second case, we do not.

Furthermore, as others have stated, you cannot copy character arrays by assignment. You must copy them using a function such as strcpy(3) or strncpy(3). When using strcpy, you must ensure that the destination buffer is large enough to hold the desired string. Also keep in mind that strncpy does not necessarily null-terminate its destination string, so use it with caution.

codaddict · Answer 3 · 2011-12-13T06:24:05.507

1

You are trying to copy a string using assignment:
```
std[i].name=names[i]; 
```
and
```
std[i].dept=dept;
```
that does not work. Use a strcpy or better strncpy instead.
You have a typo in:
```
std[i].empid=empdid;  //Error at this line 
```
You don't have a var named empdid.

edited Dec 13 '11 at 06:24

answered Dec 13 '11 at 06:16

codaddict

445,704
82
492
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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 13 '11 at 06:16

1

Use string copy function instead of assigning char array.

answered Dec 13 '11 at 06:16

KV Prajapati

93,659
19
148
186

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 13 '11 at 06:31

This code:

typedef struct std_thread
{
    char name[20];
    int  hallno;
    int  empid;
    char dept[5];
} std[5];

declares the type std to be an array of 5 struct std_thread structures.

This code:

int main()
{
[...]
    int i;
    int status;
    for (i = 0; i < 5; i++)
    {
        std[i].name = names[i];

assumes that std is a variable with array or pointer type.

You need to remove the keyword typedef to make the code consistent with the use of the variable.

Then you can start running into problems with string assignments where you need to use string copy functions, etc.

syntax error before '[' token

5 Answers5