MISRA C:2012 Rule 9.2

The initializer for an aggregate or union shall be enclosed in braces

Description

Rule Definition

The initializer for an aggregate or union shall be enclosed in braces.

Rationale

The rule applies to both objects and subobjects. For example, when initializing a structure that contains an array, the values assigned to the structure must be enclosed in braces. Within these braces, the values assigned to the array must be enclosed in another pair of braces.

Enclosing initializers in braces improves clarity of code that contains complex data structures such as multidimensional arrays and arrays of structures.

Tip

To avoid nested braces for subobjects, use the syntax {0}, which sets all values to zero.

Troubleshooting

If you expect a rule violation but do not see it, refer to Diagnose Why Coding Standard Violations Do Not Appear as Expected.

Examples

expand all

Initialization of Two-dimensional Arrays

void initialize(void) {
    int x[4][2] = {{0,0},{1,0},{0,1},{1,1}}; /* Compliant */
    int y[4][2] = {{0},{1,0},{0,1},{1,1}};   /* Compliant */
    int z[4][2] = {0};                       /* Compliant */
    int w[4][2] = {0,0,1,0,0,1,1,1};         /* Non-compliant */
}

In this example, the rule is not violated when:

Initializers for each row of the array are enclosed in braces.
The syntax {0} initializes all elements to zero.

The rule is violated when a separate pair of braces is not used to enclose the initializers for each row.

Check Information

Group: Initialization

Category: Required

AGC Category: Readability

Version History

Introduced in R2014b