Native Arrays in Visual Studio 2010

[v3ngenc3]

I see this used all over the place on the net...

unsigned char array[8]={1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8};

Why do I get ...
error C2059: syntax error : '{'
error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping apparent function body
...when I try it?

[kbw]

You must have some other syntax error. That construct is fine. Maybe if you posted more of the code we could be more helpful.

[v3ngenc3]

I finally figured out what it was (thanks a little to advice from MSDN)...

in my header I now have

class MyClass
{
static const unsigned char array[];
MyClass();
~MyClass();
};

and in the other code file

const unsigned char MyClass::array[]={1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8};
MyClass::MyClass(){}
MyClass::~MyClass(){}

Sorry my original code was unclear - and my question not obvious, I was more just wanting to know why it would not work, seems that you can't declare arrays like that in header files....

[kbw]

static const unsigned char array[] is an incomplete type and its size is mostly unknown. It's only known in the module that declares array.

You have to be careful with such declarations.