compiler phase error

Question

int main(){

int a = 10;

fun(a);

}

void fun(int a){

printf(“%d”,a);

}

Which phase of the compiler will raise an error?

1. Lexical 
2. syntax
3. semantics
4. none of the above

Comments

Semantic ?

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We're calling a function before it's declaration.

Hence, the compiler would assume the default return type to be int. But the actual return type is void.

It won't give any type-mismatch error, as 1) we're not returning anything. 2) even if we were, void can be implicitly typecast to int.

I think D, no error.

 

https://gateoverflow.in/1368/gate2005-32

Answer 1

This would be detected during syntax analysis only, this is because the production would expect an ampersand before "a" in the line: printf(“%d”,a); 

But there won't be any such productions. 

Comments

Happens. Thanks for trying, :D

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Yup. Do you know which phase will raise the error?

Semantic phase raises erroe when we use a variable before its decleration

i dont know if the same applies to functions.

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I'll get it checked.

Answer 2

It will generate syntax error because , in the main() function when we call fun(a) , it doesn't recognize what it is because our program is read from top to bottom. It will generate definition missing error because it doesn't know about fun(a).
To avoid this we can put the definition of the function before main() as
void fun(int a); .

Comments

I think some versions of compiler do not throw any error because compiler will infer a prototype from the parameters you pass to the function.

Answer 3

D ...should be more correct ....as linking arror will be there...no compilation error