指向函数指针数组的指针

Question

I would like f to point to an array of f_pointer_type. So what did i miss here ? I'm getting an error 'lvalue required as left operand of assignment'. What does it mean ?

#include <stdio.h>
typedef char* (*f_pointer_type)();
char * retHello()
{
    return "hello";
}
int main()
{
    char (* ( *f())[])(); //Declare f to be a pointer to an array of pointers to function that gets nothing and return a char.
    f_pointer_type funcs[3]; //an array of pointers to function that gets nothing and returns a pointer to char
    f = &funcs; //ERROR : lvalue required as left operand of assignment
    return 0;
}

Answer 1

If you read about the clockwise/spiral rule you will see that f is actually a function returning a pointer to an array of pointers to functions returning char* . In other words it's a function prototype and not a variable declaration.

Try this instead:

f_pointer_type (*f)[];

Answer 2

An array of function pointers is written as char* (*f[])() . You have the parenthesis wrong.

Though it is of course better to always use typedef as in the f_pointer_type funcs[3] example.

Answer 3

You define f as a function pointer. f is pointer to a function who has void params and return char *