<programlisting>

typedef struct {

int32 length;

char data[1];

char data[FLEXIBLE_ARRAY_MEMBER];

} text;

</programlisting>

Obviously, the data field declared here is not long enough to hold

all possible strings. Since it's impossible to declare a variable-size

structure in <acronym>C</acronym>, we rely on the knowledge that the

<acronym>C</acronym> compiler won't range-check array subscripts. We

just allocate the necessary amount of space and then access the array as

if it were declared the right length. (This is a common trick, which

you can read about in many textbooks about C.)

The <literal>[FLEXIBLE_ARRAY_MEMBER]</> notation means that the actual

length of the data part is not specified by this declaration.

</para>

<para>