I need to set up the following union type definition in a global header (.h) file typedef union { struct { unsigned char App_Data_Type; //Power on tests unsigned char DPort_RAM_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char EEPROM_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Watchdog_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char RAM_Fail_flag :1; unsigned char Software_Build_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Backlight_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Over_Temp_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Spare_DV1 :1; //Routine Flags unsigned char Invalid_Message_Flag :1; unsigned char Display_Blank_Flag :1; unsigned char Int_Light_Sensor_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Temp_Sensor_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Ext_Light_Sensor_Fail_Flag:1; unsigned char Spare_DV2:3; //Comms Flags unsigned char CAN_Bus_Off_Flag :1; unsigned char Rx_Timeout_Error_Flag:1; unsigned char Segmentation_Error_Flag :1; unsigned char Spare_DV3 :5; //Reprogrammming Flags unsigned char Reprogramming_RAM_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Spare_DV4 :7; //Range checking flags unsigned char Time_And_Date_Range_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Status_Resp_Range_Fail_Flag :1; unsigned char Spare_DV5 :6; //Spare bytes unsigned char Spare_DV6; unsigned char Spare_DV7; } tDefault_Variables_Response; unsigned char bit_field_bytes[7]; } Def_Var; However after declaring a variable instance Def_Var_Mem Def_Var; I get the compiler warning "error C129 : missing ';' before 'Def_Var'" Can any one tell me if the mistake is mine or the compilers please. If the mistake is the compilers is there a workaround.