how to judge whether a macro function is defined or not? - c

Here is a header file,
// a.h
#ifndef _A_H_
#define _A_H_
#ifndef MACRO_FUNC
#define MACRO_FUNC(X, Y) (X * Y + X - Y)
#endif
#endif
The above code is how I judge whether macro function MACRO_FUNC is defined or not. Is that the right way to go?


Yes this is the correct way to do it. Another way to ensure your own implementation is used is to undefine any previous definition first:
#ifdef MACRO_FUNC
# undef MACRO_FUNC
#endif
#define MACRO_FUNC(X, Y) (X * Y + X - Y)


Yes, #ifdef or #ifndef are the correct ways to test for a macro being defined. Note that you can also use #undef followed by #define to replace any existing definition.
#ifdef MACRO_FUNC
#undef MACRO_FUNC
#endif
#define MACRO_FUNC(X, Y) (X * Y + X - Y)
Also, your sample macro would be better expressed as
#define MACRO_FUNC((X), (Y)) ((X) * (Y) + (X) - (Y))
Consider what'd happen if you called MACRO_FUNC(somevar - 1, othervar + 1) if the reasons for this aren't clear.


This is the right way what you did


Yes, Since macros are evaluated by the pre-processor you need to use pre-processor directives #ifdef or #ifndef to check whether one exists.


Yes, it is how you check if the macro is already defined or not.
Notice that identifiers starting with _[A-Z] are reserved for the implementation. Change _A_H_ with A_H_ for example.

Related

Macro Verbosity definition

I have following code snippet
#define DEBUG_PRINT( x, fmt, args... ) if (DEBUG_##x || x == 0) {fprintf(fmt, ##args);} else;
Where x is the verbosity level.
I want to execute the fprint statement if verbosity x is 0 and when corresponding DEBUG_##x is defined
While compiling an error is throwing as DEBUG_1 is undefined.
My use case is to skip the fprint statement if DEBUG_1 is not defined. Help me crack this logic

You don't even need a regular if. You can use preprocessor to completely remove printf if the macro is not defined:
#define CAT(x, y) CAT_(x, y)
#define CAT_(x, y) x##y
#define TRUTHY_X ,
#define TRUTHY_1X ,
#define RUN_IF(cond, then) RUN_IF_A(CAT(CAT(TRUTHY_, cond), X) then,)
#define RUN_IF_A(...) RUN_IF_B(__VA_ARGS__)
#define RUN_IF_B(cond, then, ...) then
#define DEBUG_PRINT(x, fmt, ...) RUN_IF(CAT(DEBUG_,x),printf(fmt, ##__VA_ARGS__));
This assumes that DEBUG_x is defined to either an empty string or 1. This also assumes that DEBUG_ and some other things are not defined.
I didn't add the special treatment for x == 0, but that can be solved with #define DEBUG_0.

Using a single define statement with include guards for function-like macros?

Is there a way to use only one define statement for this header, without changing the function-like macro into a function?
my.h file:
#ifndef MY_H
#define MY_H
#define MIN(x, y) ((x) > (y) ? (y) : (x))
#endif
For example, I was able to do the following for a constant:
pi.h file:
#ifndef PI
#define PI 3.14159
#endif
I also am aware of the warnings in regards to using function-like macros from posts like:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/15575690/4803039
I just want to see if there is a more optimal/refactored way. It just seems weird to include an additional #define statement that defines the rest of the header body, when the header body only includes a #define statement itself.

This is what you want:
#ifndef MIN
#define MIN(x, y) ((x) > (y) ? (y) : (x))
#endif

Your approach would be fine - it's sufficient to guard against doubly defining macro. Adding a definition guard is usually useful if you want to protect an entire file. This serves to both shorten the code (as you don't have to guard each macro independently) and to make sure you have consistent definitions (e.g., if you want to make sure MIN and MAX are defined together). E.g.:
#ifndef MY_H
#define MY_H
#define MIN(x, y) ((x) > (y) ? (y) : (x))
#define MAX(x, y) ((x) < (y) ? (y) : (x))
#define PI 3.14159
#endif
If you just have a single macro/constant you want to define, you can guard it by its own definition, like #Danh suggested.

C Macro building with defines

I am having trouble getting this macro expanison right
#define foo Hello
#ifdef foo
#define wrapper(x) foo ## x
#else
#define wrapper(x) boo ## x
#endif
calling:
wrapper(_world)
I would like the result of
Hello_world
however, the macro is treating the "foo" define as a literal, and thus giving
foo_world
Can someone point out my mistake?
Thanks

I would recommend gnu-cpp-manual which clearly explains how macros are expanded.
Macro arguments are completely macro-expanded before they are substituted into a macro body, unless they(macro arguments) are stringified or pasted with other tokens (by the macro function that is directly applied to).
For example:
If an argument is stringified or concatenated, the prescan does not occur.
#define AFTERX(x) X_ ## x
#define XAFTERX(x) AFTERX(x)
#define TABLESIZE 1024
#define BUFSIZE TABLESIZE
AFTERX(BUFSIZE) => X_BUFSIZE: since AFTERX is to concatenate argument with prefix, its argument is not expanded, remaining BUFSIZE.
XAFTERX(BUFSIZE) => X_1024: XAFTERX does not do concatenation directly, so BUFSIZE will be expanded first.
Generally, arguments are scanned twice to expand macro called in them.
--- edit ---
So the better practice is: (code from QEMU source)
#ifndef glue
#define xglue(x, y) x ## y
#define glue(x, y) xglue(x, y)
#define stringify(s) tostring(s)
#define tostring(s) #s
#endif
glue(x,y) will concatenate x and y with both already expanded.

Two identical preprocessor definitions give different results

Consider the snippet:
#define CAT(a, b) a##b
#define M_0 CAT(x, y)
#define M(a) CAT(M_, a)()
M(0);
#define N_0() CAT(x, y)
#define N(a) CAT(N_, a)()
N(0);
To me both definitions of M(a) and N(a) look identical.
However, cpp of GCC 4.6.1 expands this to:
CAT(x, y)();
xy;
Why?

#define M_0 CAT(x, y)
#define N_0() CAT(x, y)
M_0 is a simple text replacement. N_0 is a macro function that, when being evaluated, evaluates any other macro functions as necessary.

How to write a while loop with the C preprocessor?

I am asking this question from an educational/hacking point of view, (I wouldn't really want to code like this).
Is it possible to implement a while loop only using C preprocessor directives. I understand that macros cannot be expanded recursively, so how would this be accomplished?

If you want to implement a while loop, you will need to use recursion in the preprocessor. The easiest way to do recursion is to use a deferred expression. A deferred expression is an expression that requires more scans to fully expand:
#define EMPTY()
#define DEFER(id) id EMPTY()
#define OBSTRUCT(id) id DEFER(EMPTY)()
#define EXPAND(...) __VA_ARGS__
#define A() 123
A() // Expands to 123
DEFER(A)() // Expands to A () because it requires one more scan to fully expand
EXPAND(DEFER(A)()) // Expands to 123, because the EXPAND macro forces another scan
Why is this important? Well when a macro is scanned and expanding, it creates a disabling context. This disabling context will cause a token, that refers to the currently expanding macro, to be painted blue. Thus, once its painted blue, the macro will no longer expand. This is why macros don't expand recursively. However, a disabling context only exists during one scan, so by deferring an expansion we can prevent our macros from becoming painted blue. We will just need to apply more scans to the expression. We can do that using this EVAL macro:
#define EVAL(...) EVAL1(EVAL1(EVAL1(__VA_ARGS__)))
#define EVAL1(...) EVAL2(EVAL2(EVAL2(__VA_ARGS__)))
#define EVAL2(...) EVAL3(EVAL3(EVAL3(__VA_ARGS__)))
#define EVAL3(...) EVAL4(EVAL4(EVAL4(__VA_ARGS__)))
#define EVAL4(...) EVAL5(EVAL5(EVAL5(__VA_ARGS__)))
#define EVAL5(...) __VA_ARGS__
Next, we define some operators for doing some logic(such as if, etc):
#define CAT(a, ...) PRIMITIVE_CAT(a, __VA_ARGS__)
#define PRIMITIVE_CAT(a, ...) a ## __VA_ARGS__
#define CHECK_N(x, n, ...) n
#define CHECK(...) CHECK_N(__VA_ARGS__, 0,)
#define NOT(x) CHECK(PRIMITIVE_CAT(NOT_, x))
#define NOT_0 ~, 1,
#define COMPL(b) PRIMITIVE_CAT(COMPL_, b)
#define COMPL_0 1
#define COMPL_1 0
#define BOOL(x) COMPL(NOT(x))
#define IIF(c) PRIMITIVE_CAT(IIF_, c)
#define IIF_0(t, ...) __VA_ARGS__
#define IIF_1(t, ...) t
#define IF(c) IIF(BOOL(c))
Now with all these macros we can write a recursive WHILE macro. We use a WHILE_INDIRECT macro to refer back to itself recursively. This prevents the macro from being painted blue, since it will expand on a different scan(and using a different disabling context). The WHILE macro takes a predicate macro, an operator macro, and a state(which is the variadic arguments). It keeps applying this operator macro to the state until the predicate macro returns false(which is 0).
#define WHILE(pred, op, ...) \
IF(pred(__VA_ARGS__)) \
( \
OBSTRUCT(WHILE_INDIRECT) () \
( \
pred, op, op(__VA_ARGS__) \
), \
__VA_ARGS__ \
)
#define WHILE_INDIRECT() WHILE
For demonstration purposes, we are just going to create a predicate that checks when number of arguments are 1:
#define NARGS_SEQ(_1,_2,_3,_4,_5,_6,_7,_8,N,...) N
#define NARGS(...) NARGS_SEQ(__VA_ARGS__, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
#define IS_1(x) CHECK(PRIMITIVE_CAT(IS_1_, x))
#define IS_1_1 ~, 1,
#define PRED(x, ...) COMPL(IS_1(NARGS(__VA_ARGS__)))
Next we create an operator, which we will just concat two tokens. We also create a final operator(called M) that will process the final output:
#define OP(x, y, ...) CAT(x, y), __VA_ARGS__
#define M(...) CAT(__VA_ARGS__)
Then using the WHILE macro:
M(EVAL(WHILE(PRED, OP, x, y, z))) //Expands to xyz
Of course, any kind of predicate or operator can be passed to it.

Take a look at the Boost preprocessor library, which allows you to write loops in the preprocessor, and much more.

You use recursive include files. Unfortunately, you can't iterate the loop more than the maximum depth that the preprocessor allows.
It turns out that C++ templates are Turing Complete and can be used in similar ways. Check out Generative Programming

I use meta-template programming for this purpose, its fun once you get a hang of it. And very useful at times when used with discretion. Because as mentioned its turing complete, to the point where you can even cause the compiler to get into an infinite loop, or stack-overflow! There is nothing like going to get some coffee just to find your compilation is using up 30+ gigabytes of memory and all the CPU to compile your infinite loop code!

well, not that it's a while loop, but a counter loop, nonetheless the loop is possible in clean CPP (no templates and no C++)
#ifdef pad_always
#define pad(p,f) p##0
#else
#define pad0(p,not_used) p
#define pad1(p,not_used) p##0
#define pad(p,f) pad##f(p,)
#endif
// f - padding flag
// p - prefix so far
// a,b,c - digits
// x - action to invoke
#define n0(p,x)
#define n1(p,x) x(p##1)
#define n2(p,x) n1(p,x) x(p##2)
#define n3(p,x) n2(p,x) x(p##3)
#define n4(p,x) n3(p,x) x(p##4)
#define n5(p,x) n4(p,x) x(p##5)
#define n6(p,x) n5(p,x) x(p##6)
#define n7(p,x) n6(p,x) x(p##7)
#define n8(p,x) n7(p,x) x(p##8)
#define n9(p,x) n8(p,x) x(p##9)
#define n00(f,p,a,x) n##a(pad(p,f),x)
#define n10(f,p,a,x) n00(f,p,9,x) x(p##10) n##a(p##1,x)
#define n20(f,p,a,x) n10(f,p,9,x) x(p##20) n##a(p##2,x)
#define n30(f,p,a,x) n20(f,p,9,x) x(p##30) n##a(p##3,x)
#define n40(f,p,a,x) n30(f,p,9,x) x(p##40) n##a(p##4,x)
#define n50(f,p,a,x) n40(f,p,9,x) x(p##50) n##a(p##5,x)
#define n60(f,p,a,x) n50(f,p,9,x) x(p##60) n##a(p##6,x)
#define n70(f,p,a,x) n60(f,p,9,x) x(p##70) n##a(p##7,x)
#define n80(f,p,a,x) n70(f,p,9,x) x(p##80) n##a(p##8,x)
#define n90(f,p,a,x) n80(f,p,9,x) x(p##90) n##a(p##9,x)
#define n000(f,p,a,b,x) n##a##0(f,pad(p,f),b,x)
#define n100(f,p,a,b,x) n000(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##100) n##a##0(1,p##1,b,x)
#define n200(f,p,a,b,x) n100(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##200) n##a##0(1,p##2,b,x)
#define n300(f,p,a,b,x) n200(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##300) n##a##0(1,p##3,b,x)
#define n400(f,p,a,b,x) n300(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##400) n##a##0(1,p##4,b,x)
#define n500(f,p,a,b,x) n400(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##500) n##a##0(1,p##5,b,x)
#define n600(f,p,a,b,x) n500(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##600) n##a##0(1,p##6,b,x)
#define n700(f,p,a,b,x) n600(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##700) n##a##0(1,p##7,b,x)
#define n800(f,p,a,b,x) n700(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##800) n##a##0(1,p##8,b,x)
#define n900(f,p,a,b,x) n800(f,p,9,9,x) x(p##900) n##a##0(1,p##9,b,x)
#define n0000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n##a##00(f,pad(p,f),b,c,x)
#define n1000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n0000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##1000) n##a##00(1,p##1,b,c,x)
#define n2000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n1000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##2000) n##a##00(1,p##2,b,c,x)
#define n3000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n2000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##3000) n##a##00(1,p##3,b,c,x)
#define n4000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n3000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##4000) n##a##00(1,p##4,b,c,x)
#define n5000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n4000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##5000) n##a##00(1,p##5,b,c,x)
#define n6000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n5000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##6000) n##a##00(1,p##6,b,c,x)
#define n7000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n6000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##7000) n##a##00(1,p##7,b,c,x)
#define n8000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n7000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##8000) n##a##00(1,p##8,b,c,x)
#define n9000(f,p,a,b,c,x) n8000(f,p,9,9,9,x) x(p##9000) n##a##00(1,p##9,b,c,x)
#define n00000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n##a##000(f,pad(p,f),b,c,d,x)
#define n10000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n00000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##10000) n##a##000(1,p##1,b,c,d,x)
#define n20000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n10000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##20000) n##a##000(1,p##2,b,c,d,x)
#define n30000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n20000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##30000) n##a##000(1,p##3,b,c,d,x)
#define n40000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n30000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##40000) n##a##000(1,p##4,b,c,d,x)
#define n50000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n40000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##50000) n##a##000(1,p##5,b,c,d,x)
#define n60000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n50000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##60000) n##a##000(1,p##6,b,c,d,x)
#define n70000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n60000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##70000) n##a##000(1,p##7,b,c,d,x)
#define n80000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n70000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##80000) n##a##000(1,p##8,b,c,d,x)
#define n90000(f,p,a,b,c,d,x) n80000(f,p,9,9,9,9,x) x(p##90000) n##a##000(1,p##9,b,c,d,x)
#define cycle5(c1,c2,c3,c4,c5,x) n##c1##0000(0,,c2,c3,c4,c5,x)
#define cycle4(c1,c2,c3,c4,x) n##c1##000(0,,c2,c3,c4,x)
#define cycle3(c1,c2,c3,x) n##c1##00(0,,c2,c3,x)
#define cycle2(c1,c2,x) n##c1##0(0,,c2,x)
#define cycle1(c1,x) n##c1(,x)
#define concat(a,b,c) a##b##c
#define ck(arg) a[concat(,arg,-1)]++;
#define SIZEOF(x) (sizeof(x) / sizeof((x)[0]))
void check5(void)
{
int i, a[32769];
for (i = 0; i < SIZEOF(a); i++) a[i]=0;
cycle5(3,2,7,6,9,ck);
for (i = 0; i < SIZEOF(a); i++) if (a[i] != 1) printf("5: [%d] = %d\n", i+1, a[i]);
}

Here's an abuse of the rules that would get it done legally. Write your own C preprocessor. Make it interpret some #pragma directives the way you want.

I found this scheme useful when the compiler got cranky and wouldn't unroll certain loops for me
#define REPEAT20(x) { x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;x;}
REPEAT20( val = pleaseconverge(val) );
But IMHO, if you need something much more complicated than that, then you should write your own pre-preprocessor. Your pre-preprocessor could for instance generate an appropriate header file for you, and it is easy enough to include this step in a Makefile to have everything compile smoothly by a single command. I've done it.

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