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This recommendation is a specific case of MSC12-C. Detect and remove code that has no effect or is never executed.

Noncompliant Code Example

In this example, p2 is assigned the value returned by bar(), but that value is never used. Note this example assumes that foo() and bar() return valid pointers . (See see DCL30-C. Declare objects with appropriate storage durations).)

int *p1,;
int *p2;
p1 = foo();
p2 = bar();

if (baz()) {
  return p1;
}
else {
  p2 = p1;
}
return p2;

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int *p1 = foo();

/* Removable if bar() does not produce any side effects */
(void)bar();

/* Removable if baz() does not produce any side effects */
(void)baz();
return p1;

Exceptions

Risk Assessment

Unused values may indicate significant logic errors.

Automated Detection

Related Vulnerabilities

Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.

Related Guidelines

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Bibliography

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[Coverity 2007]

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