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cinitializationgarbage

What will be the value of uninitialized variable?


Possible Duplicate:
Is uninitialized data behavior well specified?

I tried the following code:

#include<stdio.h>
void main()
{
  int i; 
  printf("%d",i);
}

The result gave garbage value in VC++, while same in tc was zero. What will be the correct value? Will an uninitialized variable by default have value of zero? or it will contain garbage value?

Next is on the same :

#include<stdio.h> 
void main()
{
  int i, j, num;
  j = (num > 0 ? 0 : num*num);
  printf("\n%d",j);
}

What will be the output of the code above?


Solution

  • Technically, the value of an uninitialized non static local variable is Indeterminate[Ref 1].
    In short it can be anything. Accessing such a uninitialized variable leads to an Undefined Behavior.[Ref 2]

    [Ref 1]
    C99 section 6.7.8 Initialization:

    If an object that has automatic storage duration is not initialized explicitly, its value is indeterminate.

    [Ref 2]

    C99 section 3.18 Undefined behavior:

    behavior, upon use of a nonportable or erroneous program construct, of erroneous data, or of indeterminately valued objects, for which this International Standard imposes no requirements.

    Note: Emphasis mine.