It seems to be a completely innocent example (vs_double_semicolumn.c):
void main() { int a;; int b; }
Compile (in С mode, there is no /TP):
cl vs_double_semicolumn.c
The result:
vs_double_semicolumn.c
vs_double_semicolumn.c(3) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before 'type'
The result of Codegear/Borland is roughly the same (though the error message is more clear):
CodeGear C++ 5.93 for Win32 Copyright (c) 1993, 2007 CodeGear
vs_double_semicolumn.c:
Error E2140 vs_double_semicolumn.c 3: Declaration is not allowed here in function main
*** 1 errors in Compile ***
The problem hides behind an accidental typo of the doubled ; character. By the way, this example is absolutely real from life. Just one misprint raises a lot of questions.
It turns out that the second ; character is treated as an empty statement but not as an empty variable declaration. The compiler decides that declarations of variables are finished and a block of statements begins, therefore it reasonably complains on the b declaration expecting statements.
I’ve checked it on gcc and native compilers of AIX, Solaris and HP-UX. All of those have eaten this example without any problems.
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