Why function parameters can not be static - static

Can anyone please tell me that why the functions parameters can not be static?
Is this the reason that function parameters are declared on Stack and gets de-allocated when function return? There is no way to retain parameter values? Just confused. Please clarify.
Thanks.

The keyword static can probably be seen as somewhat "overloaded".
The following usage-options are all viable:
Static local variables
Static global variables
Static member variables
Static global functions
Static member functions
Variables:
In terms of runtime, all types of static variables are essentially the same. They all reside in the data-section of the program, and their addresses remain constant throughout the execution of the program. So the only difference between them is during compilation, in the scope of declaration:
Static local variable: recognized by the compiler only in the scope of the function
Static global variable: recognized by the compiler only in the scope of the file
Static member variable: recognized by the compiler only in the scope of the class
Functions:
In terms of runtime, all types of functions (static and non-static) are essentially the same. They all reside in the code-section of the program, and their addresses remain constant throughout the execution of the program. So the only difference between them is during compilation, in the scope of declaration:
Static global function: recognized by the compiler only in the scope of the file
Static member function: recognized by the compiler only in the scope of the class
As to your question, arguments are passed to a function in the stack. There is no sense in having them static, because that would effectively place them in the data-section. And if they are located in the data-section, then the function can simply read them from there instead of having them passed to it in the stack.

Related

Why and where to use a global variable and a static global variable in C?

I have read about global and local variables and static keyword, but i dont know which is the difference between something like this:
int x; //Global variable
int main(){
//Code...
}
And this:
static int x; //Static Global variable
int main(){
//Code...
}
I know some properties of the static keyword, and i know why is useful for local variables, but i dont know which is the use for global variables
I have read that using static for global variables is used for accesing the variable only in the C file it is declared/defined, but, i mean, if we dont use extern we just cant access that global variable in other c files anyway
I think that a "static global" variable is used to prevent the use of the extern keyword in order to prevent the use of that variable in multiple C files, is that correct?
Thanks in advance!
"Global" is not a formal term, but it generally means "variable that can be accessed anywhere". Therefore global.
To dive into some formal terms:
The formal and correct term for a variable declared outside a function is declared at file scope.
What formally defines how a variable may be accessed in C is referred to as linkage.
A variable declared at file scope generally has external linkage and can be referred to from elsewhere with extern.
So the correct term to use for your first example is "file scope variable with external linkage".
Whenever we add the storage class specifier static to a declaration, we force the variable or function to instead get internal linkage. This means that it is only accessible from within the translation unit (the .c file and all .h files it includes) where it was declared.
It is the opposite of global, so saying "static global" doesn't make any sense. You cannot refer to such a variable with extern. Instead the correct term is "file scope variable with internal linkage".
The main purpose of static is indeed private encapsulation, since the internal linkage guarantees that the variable or function cannot be accessed by other .c files.
But static also at the same time gives static storage duration to a variable, meaning it is guaranteed to persist throughout the execution of the program and that it has some initialization rules guaranteed. Now as it happens, variables at file scope always gets static storage duration, static or not, so it isn't very relevant to your example. But as you earlier discovered, static storage duration does make a big difference for local variables, since their value will then be preserved throughout multiple function calls.
More details here: What does the static keyword do in C?
Yes, it is correct.
A global static variable can only be accessed in the file where it is created (file scope).

Difference between C global and local _static_ variables?

My C is quite rusty, please help me out.
static int i = 42;
int main()
{
}
creates a variable i with global scope and internal linkage. Meaning anyone can refer to it but only entries within the translation unit(.c file) will not break the linker. It is allocated during program linking and is initialized before main() is entered.
void foo()
{
static int i = 69;
}
creates a variable with function scope and no linkage. Meaning nothing outside of foo() can refer to it and even if the compiler didn't cry out, taking the address of this (essentially protected global) variable is UB. It is allocated during program linking and is initialized when foo() is first called.
Please correct me!
creates a variable i with global scope and internal linkage. Meaning anyone can refer to it but only entries within the translation unit(.c file) will not break the linker. It is allocated during program linking and is initialized before main() is entered.
Correct, except the formal term is file scope (outside any function), not to mixed up with "global" which can often mean accessible everywhere. In this case the variable is declared at file scope but it is not "globally" accessible. Generally, the informal term "global" is used together with the formal term external linkage and usage of the extern keyword.
creates a variable with function scope and no linkage.
No, it creates a variable with block scope. There exists a formal term function scope but it refers to the scope of goto labels. C has four scopes: file scope, function scope, block scope and function prototype scope. Those who aren't language lawyers or spaghetti programmers only need to know about file scope and block scope.
Meaning nothing outside of foo() can refer to it
Correct.
even if the compiler didn't cry out, taking the address of this (essentially protected global) variable is UB
No, this is wrong. Scope doesn't determine if a variable can be accessed or not, storage duration does. Both your examples declare variables with the same static storage duration but with different scopes. A variable with static storage duration persists and remains valid throughout the execution of the program.
Therefore it is fine and well-defined to return a pointer to a block scope variable with static storage duration. (It may not be thread-safe however, but that's another story.)
It is allocated during program linking
Correct.
and is initialized when foo() is first called.
No, this is wrong. All variables with static storage duration, regardless of their scope, are initialized before main() is called. Either to an explicit initializer as in your examples (typically meaning it gets allocated in a segment named .data) or to zero in case it wasn't explicitly initialized (all static storage variables set to zero typically gets allocated in a segment named .bss).

variables in static function and normal function

I know the difference between static function and normal function in C, my question is: Is there any difference between the variables declared in a static function and the variables declared in a normal function in C?
Thanks.
Is there any difference between the variables declared in a static function and the variables declared in a normal function in C?
Answer: NO there is no difference
Variables declared in functions have nothing to do with their storage class type. All variables defined in a function (static or not), will have their scope defined until the function exits.
Whereas, a function being static or not will only define it's visibility to other files.
No, the static keyword only applies to visibility when applied to a function.
The static keyword for functions tells the compiler/linker that the function should not be visible outside the file. When applied to a function, static in C is equivalent to private in languages like Java or C++.
Both variables are automatic, hence they are allocated on the stack.
The term static used in a static function makes that function scope only to that particular .c file. This will not do anything to the variables (auto, static or register) declared inside that static function.

Static functions and variables in C

I know what is the purpose of using static variables in an object oriented language, still, I don't understand what is the meaning of using the "static" keyword in C.
Can someone explain it to me?
On a function or global variable, static makes the function or global variable local to that file; other files cannot access that function or global variable by that name (but they can access it if you give a pointer to it away).
On a local variable, it makes it act as if it was a global variable, but is only accessible within that function (unless, again, you give a pointer to it away).
The value that a static variable has upon leaving a function is the same value that variable will have the next time the function is called.
A static function can be called only from within the same file that the function appears.

Why declare a variable or function static in C?

I understand what static does, but not why we use it. Is it just for keeping the abstraction layer?
There are a few reasons to use static in C.
When used with functions, yes the intention is for creating abstraction. The original term for the scope of a C source code file was "translation unit." The static functions may only be reached from within the same translation unit. These static functions are similar to private methods in C++, liberally interpreted (in that analogy, a translation unit defines a class).
Static data at a global level is also not accessible from outside the translation unit, and this is also used for creating an abstraction. Additionally, all static data is initialized to zero, so static may be used to control initialization.
Static at the local ("automatic") variable level is used to abstract the implementation of the function which maintains state across calls, but avoids using a variable at translation unit scope. Again, the variables are initialized to zero due to static qualification.
The keyword static has several uses; Outside of a function it simply limits the visibility of a function or variable to the compilation unit (.c file) the function or variable occurs in. That way the function or variable doesn't become global. This is a good thing, it promotes a kind of "need to know" principle (don't expose things that don't need to be exposed). Static variables of this type are zero initialized, but of course global variables are also zero initialized, so the static keyword is not responsible for zero initialization per se.
Variables can also be declared static inside a function. This feature means the variable is not automatic, i.e. allocated and freed on the stack with each invocation of the function. Instead the variable is allocated in the static data area, it is initialized to zero and persists for the life of the program. If the function modifies it during one invocation, the new modified value will be available at the next invocation. This sounds like a good thing, but there are good reasons "auto" is the default, and "static" variables within functions should be used sparingly. Briefly, auto variables are more memory efficient, and are essential if you want your function to be thread safe.
static is used as both a storage class specifier and a linkage specifier. As a linkage specifier it restricts the scope of an otherwise global variable or function to a single compilation unit. This allows, for example a compilation unit to have variables and functions with the same identifier names as other compilation units but without causing a clash, since such identifiers are 'hidden' from the linker. This is useful if you are creating a library for example and need internal 'helper' functions that must not cause a conflict with user code.
As a storage class specifier applied to a local variable, it has different semantics entirely, but your question seems to imply that you are referring to static linkage.
Static functions in C
In C, functions are global by default. The “static” keyword before a function name makes it static. For example, below function fun() is static.
static int fun(void)
{
printf("I am a static function ");
}
Unlike global functions in C, access to static functions is restricted to the file where they are declared. Therefore, when we want to restrict access to functions, we make them static. Another reason for making functions static can be reuse of the same function name in other files.
For example, if we store following program in one file file1.c
/* Inside file1.c */
static void fun1(void)
{
puts("fun1 called");
}
And store following program in another file file2.c
/* Iinside file2.c */
int main(void)
{
fun1();
getchar();
return 0;
}
Now, if we compile the above code with command gcc file2.c file1.c, we get the error undefined reference to fun1. This is because fun1 is declared static in file1.c and cannot be used in file2.c. See also the explanation here, where the codes come from.

Resources