ILE C/C++ Programmer's Guide
Open pointers inhibit optimization. Use them only when absolutely
necessary. Before using open pointers in an ILE C/C++ program, consider
the following characteristics and constraints:
- An open pointer maps to a void pointer.
- An open (void) pointer can hold any type of pointer. It is
data-type compatible with all pointer types on the system. No
compile-time error occurs when you cast an open pointer to other pointer
types, or when you cast other pointer types to an open pointer.
- Note:
- You may receive a run-time exception if the pointer contains a value
unsuitable for the context (for example, a system pointer in a pointer
addition expression).
- An open pointer can be assigned to any type of pointer.
- Note:
- You may receive a run-time exception if the type of pointer held in the open
pointer is not data-type compatible with the target of the assignment.
- An open pointer can be compared for equality (==, !=) to any pointer
type.
- An open pointer can be compared in a relational operation (<, >, <=,
>=) to another open pointer or to a data object pointer expression other than
the NULL pointer.
- Note:
- You may receive a run-time exception if the type of pointer that is held in
the open pointer is not a pointer to a data object.
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