simple macro not working???

Can anybody tell me why this won't compile. I am trying to understand who macro's work and this seems about as simple as it gets.

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
 
using std::cout;
using std::cin;
using std::endl;

#define MINIMUM2 (x,y)    if (x < y)            \         
                            lowestNumber = x;  \
                          else                  \
                            lowestNumber = y;
                       
#define NUM1 = 5
#define NUM2 = 10


//***************************************************
//MAIN FUNCTION
int main()
{
 
  double lowestNumber = 0;
             
  MINIMUM2(NUM1, NUM2);

  cout << "Lowest number = " << lowestNumber;
 
  return 0;
}

---

space in the macro definition before the parameters. This looks strangely familiar.

I removed that space and also remove the "=" signs form the sysbolic constant for NUM1 and NUM2.

The error are getting fewer but there is still something wrong with the macro defination. Here is one of the errors I am still getting:

error C2501: 'lowestNumber' : missing storage-class or type specifiers

Any ideas??

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
 
using namespace std;

#define MINIMUM2(x,y)((x<y)?x:y)
                       
#define NUM1  5
#define NUM2  10


// **************************************************


//MAIN FUNCTION
int main()
{
 
  double lowestNumber = MINIMUM2(NUM1, NUM2);

  cout << "Lowest number = " << lowestNumber;
 
  return 0;
}

---

fixed

Thanks, That worked, but I don't understand it.

What didn't the compiler like about the way I had it?

What does ?x:y do in the macro?

Thanks,

Quote:

---

What does ?x:y do in the macro?

---

its true or false, "?"means true. ":" means false

but there were other errors I should point out. Here's your original code with the big things I changed in red

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
 
using std::cout;
using std::cin;
using std::endl;

#define MINIMUM2 (x,y)    if (x < y)            \         
                            lowestNumber = x;  \
                          else                  \
                            lowestNumber = y;
                       
#define NUM1 = 5
#define NUM2 = 10


// **************************************************
*
//MAIN FUNCTION
int main()
{
 
  double lowestNumber = 0;
             
  MINIMUM2(NUM1, NUM2);

  cout << "Lowest number = " << lowestNumber;
 
  return 0;
}

---

So the code checks to see if x < y. If that is true then x is returned if it is false then y is returned.

Is that correct?

correct.

Thanks!!