By C89, variable can only be defined at the top of a block.
if (a == 1)
int b = 10; // it's just a statement, syntacitially error
if (a == 1)
{ // refer to the beginning of a local block
int b = 10; // at the top of the local block, syntacitially correct
} // refer to the end of a local block
if (a == 1)
{
func();
int b = 10; // not at the top of the local block, syntacitially error, I guess
}