Why does this not lead to a compiler error or warning?

[handsource-dyko]

Yesterday I figured out why something didn't work as expected.  The process was defined like this:

Code Select Expand


PROCESS cursor_tag(string entity, int id_code, byte entity);


The last argument is input for a switch statement, and the first one for printing some text. I added the last parameter without minding the rest. When I compiled I was suprised that the switch didn't work.... Until I found out that I used the same identifier twice.

Using two arguments with the same name but different type was ofcourse a very dumb thing to do, but the compiler did not complain at all. It compiled just fine, with me guessing why a case selection didn't work as I expected.  :-[ I corrected it and now it works fine, as you can see in this  bit of code.

Code Select Expand


PROCESS cursor_tag(string entity, int id_code, byte entity_type);


PRIVATE

   int cursor_graph;
   int text_graph;
   
   string tag_text_string;
   
BEGIN

   // create a window
   cursor_graph=map_new(850,20,16);
       
   // give the window a color
   map_clear(0,cursor_graph,rgb(245,245,245));

   // set the file and graph
   file=0;
   graph=cursor_graph;

   // set it to scroll coordiates
   ctype=c_screen;

   // make the window semi-translucent
   flags=0;   
       
   // set the position
   x=600;
   y=10;
       
   // put it above all the other graphics
   z=-400;   
   
   say("entity_type: "+entity_type);

   // create custom tags depending on entity. some entities will use standard tag.
   SWITCH (entity_type)
   
      CASE DE_OBJECT:
         tag_text_string = "selected entity: "+entity+" ["+id_code.count+"] ; x="+id_code.x+" ; y="+id_code.y+" ; z="+id_code.z+" ; angle="+id_code.angle+" ; flags="+id_code.flags+" ; Graph="+id_code.graph+" ; size="+id_code.size+" ; id_code="+id_code;
      END
     
      CASE DE_FIRST_PLANE:
         tag_text_string = "selected entity: "+entity+" ["+id_code.father.count+"] ; x="+id_code.father.x+" ; y="+id_code.father.y+" ; z="+id_code.father.z+" ; angle="+id_code.father.angle+" ; flags="+id_code.father.flags+" ; Graph="+id_code.father.graph+" ; size="+id_code.father.size+" ; id_code="+id_code.father;
      END
   
      CASE DE_FLYING:
     
         IF (id_code.gr == BEE)
             tag_text_string = "selected entity: "+entity+" ["+id_code.count+"] ; x="+id_code.x+" ; y="+id_code.y+" ; incx="+id_code.incx+" ; incy="+id_code.incy+" ; dist x="+id_code.distx+" ; disty="+id_code.disty+" ; id_code="+id_code+" ; Bees="+num_entity_obj_kind.f_bee;
         ELSE
            tag_text_string = "selected entity: "+entity+" ["+id_code.count+"] ; x="+id_code.x+" ; y="+id_code.y+" ; incx="+id_code.incx+" ; incy="+id_code.incy+" ; dist x="+id_code.distx+" ; disty="+id_code.disty+" ; id_code="+id_code+" ; Ghosts="+num_entity_obj_kind.f_ghost;
         END
      END
     
     
      DEFAULT:         
         tag_text_string = "selected entity: "+entity+" ["+id_code.count+"] ; x="+id_code.x+" ; y="+id_code.y+" ; id_code="+id_code;
      END
     
   END
   
   
   text_graph=write_in_map(textfont, tag_text_string, ALIGN_CENTER_LEFT);
   map_put(0, cursor_graph, text_graph, 75, 10);     
   
   TIMER[9]=0;
   
   REPEAT
      FRAME;
   UNTIL (TIMER[9]>1)
   
ONEXIT:

   // free memory
   delete_text(all_text);
   unload_map(0,cursor_graph);   
   unload_map(0,text_graph);   

   
   say("everything from cursor tag routine freed. "+father);
   
END



But this is something you can shoot yourself in the foot with if you're uncarefull. Is there a reason that this is not treated as an compile error (as in a feature) ? This made me wonder how a pascal v.s. a C compiler would have treated something like this. Maybe this kind of thing should produce at least a compiler warning, or an error.

I think a pascal compiler would say: Error! And a C compiler probably wouldn't mind it at all (as in a dangrous "feature").  ;D