HP C/iX Reference Manual (31506-90011)

Chapter 5 59
Expressions
Primary Expressions
Primary Expressions
The term primary expression is used in defining various C expressions.
Syntax
primary-expression :=
identifier
constant
string-literal
( expression )
Description
A primary expression is an identifier, a constant, a string literal, or an expression in
parentheses that may or may not be an lvalue expression. Primary expressions are the
basic components of all expressions.
An identifier can be a primary expression provided that you have declared it properly. A
single identifier may or may not be an lvalue expression. A function name is not an lvalue.
A constant is a primary expression and can never be an lvalue.
A string literal is a primary expression. The type of the string literal is "array of
characters." If the string literal appears in any context other than as the operand of
sizeof, the operand of unary &, or the initializer for an array of characters, it is converted
to a pointer to the first character.
Examples
identifier: var1
constant: 99
string-literal: "hi there"
( expression ) (ab)