| typedef | Keyword

Keyword Index

Creates a new type.

The syntax for defining a new type is

    typedef type-definition identifier;

This statement assigns the symbol name identifier to the data type definition type-definition. For example,

    typedef unsigned char byte;
    typedef char str40[41];
    typedef struct {float re, im;} complex;
    typedef char *byteptr;
    typedef int (*fncptr)(int);

After these definition, you can declare

    byte m, n;
    str40 myStr;
    complex z1, z2;
    byteptr p;
    fncptr myFunc;

with the same meaning as you declare

    unsigned char m, n;
    char myStr[41];
    struct {float re, im;} z1, z2;
    char *p;
    int (*myFunc)(int);

User defined types may be used at any place where the built-in types may be used.