Re: C macros

Hi Frank,

Here is a discussion on the topic:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14041453/why-are-preprocessor-macros-evil-and-what-are-the-alternatives

HTH,

Marc


On 4/4/2014 1:24 AM, Frank Kolmann wrote:
> Hi Barbara
>
>
>
> Thank you for your comments. I am happy to start a discussion on macros.
>
> Please understand I value and appreciate your comments.
>
> Couple of points.
>
>
>
> I found the 'forever' macro in this book. pp97
>
>
>
>                  The C programming Language
>
>                  By Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie.
>
>                  Published by Prentice-Hall in 1988
>
>                  ISBN 0-13-110362-8 (paperback)
>
>                  ISBN 0-13-110370-9
>
> --  exerpt --
>
>                  Any name may be defined with any replacement text. For
> example
>
>                  #define forever for (;;) /* infinite loop */
>
>                  defines a new word, forever, for an infinite loop.
>
>
>
> Do you mean to say that the C gods K&R themselves published weird code?
>
>
>
> Also if C programmers cannot cope with macros does not that imply they
>
> are not truly C programmers.
>
>
>
> Why does C have the ability to have such marco substitution if it is
>
> not to be used.
>
> Particularly if it helps avoid a potential bug that the compiler
>
> does not report and only manifests at execution time (= for ==).
>
>
>
> I believe I will have no problem interpreting the standard C
>
> code or other C code with macros.
>
>
>
> Frank
>
>
>
>
>
>> *Subject: Re: First C Program
>> *From: Barbara Morris <bmorris@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> *Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 13:42:13 -0400
>> Hi Frank, I have been thinking about the use of macros such as
>> EQ, forever, NE etc, and I think you are doing yourself a disservice
>> by using these macros as a beginner C programmer. Here are some of the
> reasons:
>
>> You will find it less easy to read "normal" C code if you don't get
>> used to seeing *and quickly interpreting* things like != == for(;;)
>> You will find it more difficult to incorporate code that you find on the
> web.
>
>> You will have to either change all the == and != to use your macros,
>> or perhaps even worse, you will have a mixture of EQ and ==.
>> You will not be able to post snippets of code to forums without
>> replacing your macros. I wouldn't post weird code like that to any forum
>> even with an explanation for what the macros mean.
>> The discussion would almost certainly be more about the use of the macros
>> than about whatever question you were trying to ask.

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