C compilers generally will generate a warning when a pointer is used in a
'dangerous' way.

For example...

you have a routine that expects a pointer to a 'foo'

instead you pass it a 'bar'

a standard compliant compiler will generate an error, however back in the
K&R days this would either not be caught at all or would only generate a
warning.



Another example:

you have a routine that expects a non-const pointer to a char

instead you pass it a const pointer to a char

this should be an error in a standard-compiant compiler, but....


A third example:

you're compiler implements some non-ansi standard characteristics of
pointers ie: near vs. far, __gc, rom, based, bank_n, ...,  whatever.

you pass the wrong flavor of pointer

if the compiler can't make it work it _should__ generate an error

if the compiler can make it work, perhaps with some loss of efficiency that
might be a good cause for a warning.

Bob Ammerman
RAm Systems

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jennifer L. Gatza" <jenl@AUTO-SERV.COM>
To: <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 2:23 PM
Subject: FW: [PIC]: C-18 pointers to global variables...


> Oops... resending to list this time.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jennifer L. Gatza [mailto:jenl@auto-serv.com]
> Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 12:55 PM
> To: 'mike@broadcastwarehouse.com'
> Subject: RE: [PIC]: C-18 pointers to global variables...
>
>
> Someone more familiar with C18 may have better advice, but I've seen that
> ugly "suspicious pointer conversion" warning many times when I *know* that
> there is nothing wrong with the conversion.  I'm not sure what the
compiler
> uses as criteria for the warning, but it seems to me like it appears
anytime
> I use the * or & operators.  It's almost like a checklist - "You referred
to
> a variable by something other than its default form (whether value or
> reference).  Is this what you intended to do?"
>
> I'm with you: I hate warnings. But for the most part, I've found this
> warning to be less than useful and have learned to ignore it, provided the
> code works as expected.  I haven't had any problems.
>
> Jen
>
>
> > Can anyone help me - I'm trying to pass a pointer to a large-ish (312)
> > element global array variable and am getting a suspicious pointer
> > conversion warning.
>
> <snip>
>
> > The code does actually work - but I don't like warnings!!
>
> --
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>
>

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