Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience.
Accept
to the top
>
>
>
V2592. MISRA. An identifier declared in…
menu mobile close menu
Analyzer diagnostics
General Analysis (C++)
General Analysis (C#)
General Analysis (Java)
Micro-Optimizations (C++)
Diagnosis of 64-bit errors (Viva64, C++)
Customer specific requests (C++)
MISRA errors
AUTOSAR errors
OWASP errors (C++)
OWASP errors (C#)
Problems related to code analyzer
Additional information
toggle menu Contents

V2592. MISRA. An identifier declared in an inner scope should not hide an identifier in an outer scope.

Jul 07 2021

This diagnostic rule is based on the MISRA (Motor Industry Software Reliability Association) software development guide.

This rule only applies to programs written in C. An identifier declared in an inner scope and an identifier declared in an outer scope should have different names. Otherwise, an identifier declared in the inner scope hides the one from the outer scope. This can lead to confusion or a software error.

Such a name collision may result in a logical error as in the example below:

int foo(int param)
{
  int i = 0;
  if (param > 0)
  {
    int i = var + 1;
  }
  return i;
}

The 'foo' function receives a positive parameter value. At first glance the function seems to return this value increased by '1'. However, that does not happen. In fact, the function always returns '0'. To prove that let's change the identifiers names:

int foo(int param)
{
  int i_outer = 0;
  if (param > 0)
  {
    int i_inner = var + 1;
  }
  return i_outer;
}

Now it is clear that the value of the 'i' variable in the 'if' branch does not affect the result of the 'foo' function. The 'i' identifier ('i_inner') in the inner scope hides the 'i' identifier ('i_outer') from the outer scope. An error occurs.

This diagnostic is classified as:

  • MISRA-C-5.3
close form

Fill out the form in 2 simple steps below:

Your contact information:

Step 1
Congratulations! This is your promo code!

Desired license type:

Step 2
Team license
Enterprise license
** By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement
close form
Request our prices
New License
License Renewal
--Select currency--
USD
EUR
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
Free PVS‑Studio license for Microsoft MVP specialists
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
To get the licence for your open-source project, please fill out this form
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
I am interested to try it on the platforms:
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
check circle
Message submitted.

Your message has been sent. We will email you at


If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check if it is filtered to one of the following folders:

  • Promotion
  • Updates
  • Spam