Bug#475839: libc6-dev: pthread_mutex_t definition contains a nameless union

[Francois Gouget <fgouget@free.fr>]

On Sat, 10 May 2008, Aurelien Jarno wrote:

> tag 475839 + wontfix
> thanks
[...]
> > Here is a test program:
> > --- pthread_mutex_t.c ---
> > #include <pthread.h>
> > pthread_mutex_t mutex;
> > --- pthread_mutex_t.c ---
> > 
> > Compiling it with gcc 2.95 gives the following error:
> > $ gcc-2.95 -c pthread_mutex_t.c
> > In file included from /usr/include/pthread.h:30,
> >                  from pthread_mutex_t.c:1:
> > /usr/include/bits/pthreadtypes.h:99: warning: unnamed struct/union that defines no instances
> 
> gcc-2.95 does not give an error, but outputs a simple warning.
> 
> I don't think it worth supporting an old compiler that is not present
> in lenny. Tagging the bug as wontfix.


I would like this bug to be reopened because I think it was closed for 
the wrong reasons:

 1) gcc-2.95 is still present in Lenny. If you are not seeing it in 
    aptitude, it's because you are using the 64bit build.

 2) It's very easy to get a compilation error. Just try to compile the 
    following program:

--- pthread_mutex_t.c ---
#include <pthread.h>
pthread_mutex_t mutex=PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
--- pthread_mutex_t.c ---

 3) This particular construct also seems to be causing trouble with PCC:
    http://pcc.ludd.ltu.se/jira/browse/PCC-5

 4) Wine contains code very similar to the above and thus fails to 
    compile with gcc-2.95. This is actually the whole reason why I 
    compile it with gcc 2.95: to ensure that Wine's code does not 
    contain such non-portable constructs. But having the compilation 
    fail due to the C library headers, or having to patch said headers 
    on a regular basis, is annoying.



-- 
Francois Gouget <fgouget@free.fr>              http://fgouget.free.fr/
     We are Pentium of Borg. You will be approximated. Division is futile.