main be explicitly undefined?This issue has been automatically converted from the original issue lists and some formatting may not have been preserved.
Authors: Derek M. Jones, WG14
Date: 1992-12-10
Reference document: X3J11/90-056
Submitted against: C90
Status: Fixed
Fixed in: C90 TC1
Converted from: dr.htm, dr_017.html
Behavior if no function called main exists
According to subclause 5.1.2.2.1, page 6, it is implicitly undefined behavior if
the executable does not contain a function called main.
It ought to be explicitly undefined if no function called main exists in the
executable.
Comment from WG14 on 1997-09-23:
You are correct that it is implicitly undefined behavior if the executable does
not contain a function called main. This was a conscious decision of the
Committee.
There are many places in the C Standard that leave behavior implicitly undefined. The Committee chose as a style for the C Standard not to enumerate these places as explicitly undefined behavior. Rather, subclause 3.16, page 3, lines 12-16 explicitly allow for implicitly undefined behavior and explicitly give implicitly undefined behavior equal status with other forms of undefined behavior.
Add to subclause G.2, page 200:
- A program contains no function called main (5.1.2.2.1).