pYro_65:
Your shortcut that you cannot understand why it isn't available to a standard variable makes no sense, why, because the choice is ambiguous: Do you return a pointer, or the actual int. With an array id (without subscript) all you have is a pointer to the first element, as an array reference and array pointer are not compatible and ignored.
Thanks.
That makes some sense.
It has taken a long time 
...R