C data segment identification

Question

If I declare

  static int a ;// globally and 
  static int a ; // locally in one function

So now there are two instances of a ..

I know all static variables goes into data segment but how they are differentiated in data segment which one is local and which one is global ??

i don't know exactly what you mean, but "a" is just a name you give to a variable, the compiler only knows its address. When you reference the `global a` it has its address and `local a` has its own as well. — ja_mesa, Jan 30 '15 at 17:58

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 30 '15 at 18:02

You can in fact go further: you can declare

static int a;

at file scope in two or more separate files contributing to your program. Each such declaration in a different scope declares a separate variable. Thus, given

f.c:

static int a;

int f() {
    static int a;
    return 0;
}

main.c

static int a;

int f(void);

int main() {
    return f();
}

There are three separate static variables associated with the name a in different places. It is the compiler and linker's job to arrange for the correct storage to be associated with each variable reference.

C data segment identification

1 Answers1