Question

struct MyStruct {
  int x;
};

MyStruct theVar;

theVar.x = 10;

int main() {
  return 0;
}

Why is the compiler giving me the error:

error: ‘theVar’ does not name a type

Answer 1

You can only create variables and initialize them outside main at the global scope. You cannot assign to variables at global scope like that.

You have two options:

Initialize it at time of creation:

MyStruct theVar = {10};

Or

Assign it in main:

theVar.x = 10;

Note that first approach is better as it just has one step, Initialization, Second has two steps Initialization and Assignment.