Thread: C header file question?

  1. #1
    TransparentMember correlcj's Avatar
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    Lightbulb C header file question?

    Hello,
    I have a question. I read that C header files can be incluided more than once, with the effect being the same as if they were included only once, is that correct? Now why would anyone want to be redundant? Thats my ?


  2. #2
    Registered User moi's Avatar
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    to make a C header file so that it can be #include'd more than once but will only be #include'd once, do something like this

    foobar.h:
    Code:
    #ifndef FOOBAR_HEADER_FILE
    #define FOOBAR_HEADER_FILE
    
    // put your header code here, then right before the end of file:
    
    #endif
    why? because header files sometimes include other header files, for various reasons, and especially when you get into a large many filed program, this method stops "circular dependancies" from occurning where

    foo.h includes bar.h
    bar.h includes kensmom.h
    kensmom.h includes foo.h

    with this (very standard btw) method,

    foo.h includes bar.h
    bar.h includes kensmom.h
    kensmom.h says to include foo.h, but the preprocessor looks and see's that foo.h has already been included, so it doesnt include it again.
    hello, internet!

  3. #3
    TransparentMember correlcj's Avatar
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    Smile stops "circular dependancies" from occurning

    oh!
    Thanks, i'll remember that.

  4. #4
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    It takes less effort to slap it in, whether it's needed or not. That's why they sometimes get included more than once.

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