[Mingw-users] Multiple definition error

[Oberdan L. M. <obe...@gm...>]

   Hello all,

   I'm having a problem with a FILE pointer declared inside a header.
When I try to link it, i got an "multiple definition" error. Here is a
small test case:

utils.h :

#ifndef __UTILS_H__
  #define __UTILS_H__

  FILE *system_log_file =3D NULL;

#endif

-------------

utils.c  (it is empty, has only the includes):

#include <stdio.h>
#include "utils.h"


-------------

main.c :

#include <stdio.h>
#include "utils.h"

int main( int argc , char *argv[] )
{
   return(0);
};

----------

   Both utils.c and main.c compile just fine, but when I try to link it, I =
got:

$ gcc  -o test main.o utils.o
utils.o(.bss+0x0):utils.c: multiple definition of `system_log_file'
main.o(.bss+0x0):main.c: first defined here
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

  But, if inside the header I put:

   FILE *system_log_file;

  instead of

   FILE *system_log_file =3D NULL;

  It works perfectly. Any ideas about why does this happens?

  Thanks in advance.