The easiest way is to use ptype with gdb.
Example:
foo.c
#include <sys/types.h>
struct st { int i; char c; };
typedef int Array[10];
typedef struct st St;
int main(void)
{
size_t s1;
ssize_t s2;
pid_t pid;
Array arr;
St st1;
return 0;
}
$ gcc -Wall -g -o foo foo.c
$ gdb foo
(gdb) b main
(gdb) run
(gdb) ptype s1
type = long unsigned int
(gdb) ptype size_t
type = long unsigned int
(gdb) ptype s2
type = long int
(gdb) ptype ssize_t
type = long int
(gdb) ptype pid
type = int
(gdb) ptype pid_t
type = int
(gdb) ptype arr
type = int [10]
(gdb) ptype Array
type = int [10]
(gdb) ptype st1
type = struct st {
int i;
char c;
}
(gdb) ptype St
type = struct st {
int i;
char c;
}
Like the above example,
ptype <expression or type name>
shows real type.
If the type is an array, it also shows its size. If the type is a struct, it also shows the type of the members of the struct. It's convenient.
You can probably find the real type using gcc -E option and looking into preprecessor's output like below, but it's bothersome and possibly needs hard work.
$ gcc -E foo.c | grep ssize_t typedef long int __ssize_t; typedef __ssize_t ssize_t; (ommitted below)
In the above example (x86_64 GNU/Linux), you can find that ssize_t is
__ssize_t => long int
$ gcc -E foo.c | grep ssize_t typedef long __darwin_ssize_t; (ommitted) typedef __darwin_ssize_t ssize_t; (ommitted)
In the above example (Mac OS X), you can find that ssize_t is
ssize_t => __darwin_ssize_t => long