Ah, I see. Like this:
char x[sizeof(struct Foo)];
struct Foo* f = (struct Foo*)&x;
struct Bar* b = (struct Bar*)&x;Ah, I see. Like this:
char x[sizeof(struct Foo)];
struct Foo* f = (struct Foo*)&x;
struct Bar* b = (struct Bar*)&x;
(I can't edit so replying instead.) But this isn't allowed either. You can access a struct Foo variable through a char* pointer but you can't use struct Foo* to access an object whose actual type ("effective type" in the words of the standard) is char array. The standard says:
An object shall have its stored value accessed only by an lvalue expression that has one of the following types:
— a type compatible with the effective type of the object,
— a qualified version of a type compatible with the effective type of the object,
— a type that is the signed or unsigned type corresponding to the effective type of the object,
— a type that is the signed or unsigned type corresponding to a qualified version of the effective type of the object,
— an aggregate or union type that includes one of the aforementioned types among its members (including, recursively, a member of a subaggregate or contained union), or
— a character type.
https://www.iso-9899.info/n1570.html#6.5p7
I realise that many implementations will allow it anyway but if you're relying on that then you may as well fall back to a straight cast from Foo* to Bar*, which is also not allowed in theory.