c++ - what does this mean char (*(*a[4])())[5]?

Question

Hi I came across the question in "Test your skills in c++".

Please let me know what does it mean with an example?

Edited Section: Sorry for the extra parenthesis, edited & removed.

char (*(*a[4])())[5]

Answer 1

Following the spiral rule (as linked to by chris), and starting with the identifier:

a

...is...

a[4]

...an array of 4...

*a[4]

...pointers to...

(*a[4])()

...a function taking no parameters...

*(*a[4])()

...returning pointer to...

(*(*a[4])())[5]

...an array of five...

char (*(*a[4])())[5]

...chars.

Sidenote: Go give the architect who came up with this a good dressing-down, then find the programmer who wrote this code without a comment explaining it and give him a good dressing-down. In case this was given to you as a homework, tell your teacher that he should have instructed you on how to use cdecl instead, or how to design code in a way that it doesn't look like madman scrawlings, instead of wasting your time with this.