structured assembler (BASIC) [Really: C builtin functions?]

[Jerry Schwarz]

> 
> These functions should not be thought of as "built-in";
> indeed, X3J11 has decreed that there must be an actual
> extern definition of each required function, even when the
> usual usage would be implemented with preprocessor macros.
> But the interface IS "standardized" now (or as soon as
> the official X3J11 standard is approved).

There may have been a recent change of heart, but the Feb 86 draft
stated (D.1.2):

        All external identifiers declared in any of the  headers
        [enumerated in the standard] are reserved, whether or not
        the associated header is included. ... If the program
        redefines a reserved external identifier, even with a
        sematicaly equivalent form, the behavoir is implementation
        defined.

In other words, the compiler can rely on the standard defined meaning
of any of these functions, e.g. compiling a call to strcpy with an
appropriate block move instruction.

This is the normal meaning of "built-in" function.

Jerry Schwarz