I don't know how to describe this. The compiler generates a warning in a very specific case. See the very simple and small program below and the different cases where the type error occurs and doesn't occur. I'm not a C++ expert but this seems whacky. Note that this does not occur with gcc on any version. It doesn't occur with earlier (g++-3.4) versions of g++. It does occur in g++-4.1. BTW, the compileres I've tested in on are all from from a machine running up-to-date Debian 'test'.
cheers, Mark cd /home/mhayden/spool/ make -k g++-4.0 -v Using built-in specs. Target: i486-linux-gnu Configured with: ../src/configure -v --enable-languages=c,c++,java,f95,objc,ada,treelang --prefix=/usr --enable-shared --with-system-zlib --libexecdir=/usr/lib --without-included-gettext --enable-threads=posix --enable-nls --program-suffix=-4.0 --enable-__cxa_atexit --enable-clocale=gnu --enable-libstdcxx-debug --enable-java-awt=gtk-default --enable-gtk-cairo --with-java-home=/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.4.2-gcj-4.0-1.4.2.0/jre --enable-mpfr --disable-werror --with-tune=i686 --enable-checking=release i486-linux-gnu Thread model: posix gcc version 4.0.4 20060507 (prerelease) (Debian 4.0.3-3) cat a.c typedef struct _a_t { int b ; } * a_t ; extern a_t c(int) ; int main() { a_t const a0 = c(0) ; a_t a1 = c(sizeof(*a1)) ; a_t const a2 = c(sizeof(*a2)) ; a_t const a3 = c(sizeof(*a2)) ; a_t const a4 = c(sizeof(*a0)) ; a0->b = 0 ; /* ok */ a1->b = 0 ; /* ok */ a2->b = 0 ; /* not ok */ a3->b = 0 ; /* not ok */ a4->b = 0 ; /* ok */ return 0 ; } g++-4.0 -c a.c a.c: In function 'int main()': a.c:15: error: base operand of '->' is not a pointer a.c:16: error: base operand of '->' is not a pointer make: *** [a.o] Error 1 Compilation exited abnormally with code 2 at Sat May 20 15:41:55 -- Summary: strange interaction with const and sizeof and variable declarations in g++-4.0 Product: gcc Version: 4.0.4 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: major Priority: P3 Component: c++ AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: markghayden at yahoo dot com http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=27693