How to make a program that prints it's own source code???

**laserlight** · 03-22-2008

But will you please tell me how will the source code be build??if we are making the source code for the 1st time.That means during compilation there's no .obj file on hard disk!

This is just the job of the compiler.

the object file that doesn't exist at all..can we assign it's address to some file pointer?

No. You are heading in the wrong direction. To begin with, the object code is different from the source code.

It will do if it's not following the rules. I just want to do the job of printing the source code..

Then you either write a true quine that prints its own source code without any file I/O at all, or you simply provide a copy of the source file along with the program, and read from that file.

**matsp** · 03-22-2008

Originally Posted by chottachatri

And i know the source code is compiled into object code. But will you please tell me how will the object code be build??if we are making the source code for the 1st time.That means during compilation there's no .obj file on hard disk!i hope you getting my point??the object file that doesn't exist at all..can we assign it's address to some file pointer??

I presume you are discussing the objective of producing a program that prints itself, and the "chicken and egg problem" caused by that? Having source code print itself is pretty pointless in itself - it's only useful in "academic" circles. And somehow, the source file MUST know it's own content to be able to print it. It's a bit like asking a painter paint himself doing a self-portrait of himself - he must then first paint a self-portrait, right [although, technically, this can be painted onto the same canvas as the painting of himself painting said-self portrait. But just like this example, if you want the source code to print itself, it first needs to have the source code.

--
Mats

**cyberfish** · 03-22-2008

And i know the source code is compiled into object code. But will you please tell me how will the object code be build??

A compiler takes C/C++ code as input, and outputs object code that can be run on the CPU directly. Object code is basically a string of very low level CPU instructions. It looks nothing like and does not include the original source code. The most you can get if you try really hard is probably printing out an assembly version of your program, by reading the memory directly, and disassemble the opcode. I am not sure if even THAT is possible.

**cyberfish** · 03-22-2008

if we are making the source code for the 1st time.That means during compilation there's no .obj file on hard disk

A compiler converts source code into object code. It's not a one-to-one relationship, however. Therefore, you cannot convert the object code back to the source code (actually there are programs that convert object code into C/C++, but it's probably not what you want, because the resulting source code will look nothing like your original code, just something equivalent in functionality).

Let the compiler be a function "C(s) = obj" where s is your source code, and obj is the resulting object code. The function is many-to-one, therefore, there exists no inverse function that converts obj back to your starting s.

**cpjust** · 03-22-2008

Originally Posted by vart

The question is not so stupid. Everyone with the "classical" programming education is aware of such program. So if the person learns about it during interview it can indicate possible "shortcuts" in his education curve... And this can be futher investigated with other questions

But this has no useful purpose in a real-world application. Interviewers should be more concerned with asking questions that are relevent to the job.

**vart** · 03-22-2008

Originally Posted by cpjust

But this has no useful purpose in a real-world application. Interviewers should be more concerned with asking questions that are relevent to the job.

The "Classical" education from some good University is useful in a real-world application. But instead of asking question what courses you have accomplished- they can ask questions that will show what you have actually learned...

**cpjust** · 03-23-2008

Originally Posted by vart

The "Classical" education from some good University is useful in a real-world application. But instead of asking question what courses you have accomplished- they can ask questions that will show what you have actually learned...

They can see whether or not you have a "classical" education by looking at your resume. They should be asking you intelligent questions about situations that you will encounter on the job and which help validate your work experience.
I'd say that actual knowledge and experience are worth a lot more than fancy degrees that just prove you paid a lot of money for a piece of paper.

**vart** · 03-23-2008

They can see whether or not you have a "classical" education by looking at your resume

I could write in my resume whatever I want. Interviewer should make sure - all that is written in the resume is actually true, or close to the trueth...

I can write in the resume I have studied assembler in the University. Which it true. But it was a small course take more than 15 years ago... Since then I never programed in asm... Do you think I could answer any question about assembler now?

So the resume is just a starting point for the interview.

**cpjust** · 03-23-2008

Originally Posted by vart

I could write in my resume whatever I want. Interviewer should make sure - all that is written in the resume is actually true, or close to the trueth...

I can write in the resume I have studied assembler in the University. Which it true. But it was a small course take more than 15 years ago... Since then I never programed in asm... Do you think I could answer any question about assembler now?

So the resume is just a starting point for the interview.

Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. They ask should questions to verify a person's skills. If they really want to discriminate against people without a certain type of education, they can just ask to see your degree or contact the school to verify...

**Anddos** · 03-27-2008

why dont you use like
get the window handle of the compiler , or ide or what ever your executable is called
then use SendMessage WM_GETTEXT , and read every line in to a buffer

Handle HandleofCompiler;
FindWindow(NULL,"your compiler name"):
char buffer[32];
if this returns ok , then you have a handle

now you can use SendMessage(HandleofCompiler , WM_GETTEXT , 0 , LPARAM(buffer));

altho i am not sure how you would move to the next line ,,,

**cpjust** · 03-27-2008

Originally Posted by Anddos

why dont you use like
get the window handle of the compiler , or ide or what ever your executable is called
then use SendMessage WM_GETTEXT , and read every line in to a buffer

Handle HandleofCompiler;
FindWindow(NULL,"your compiler name"):
char buffer[32];
if this returns ok , then you have a handle

now you can use SendMessage(HandleofCompiler , WM_GETTEXT , 0 , LPARAM(buffer));

altho i am not sure how you would move to the next line ,,,

Because that would only work if you know which IDE you're using, assuming you're using one at all, and it would only work when you run the program from the IDE, which you'd only do when writing it.

**~~manav~~** · 03-27-2008

Besides the obvious solution, read the source file and print it.
The other and easy too, solution is write the program first. Then declare a string variable containing the
same text as your program. Now your source is changed to a kind of mirror image. The same source text exists twice. One in original form, and other in string form. Now just print that string twice, by whatever means. A little trick may be needed. But thats it.

**Anddos** · 03-27-2008

work when you run the program from the IDE, which you'd only do when writing it.

not true , you could run the program exe from any directory , not just from the run menu of the compiler ,
all you would have todo is have the compiler open showing the source code ,

do you mean you want to view the source code to output even with the compiler/ide closed?

maybe make some kind of decrytor ,

like if the varible is a int in your program , then use sizeof() to confirm it
then output int , but wont be able to get the varible name

**cpjust** · 03-27-2008

Originally Posted by Anddos

work when you run the program from the IDE, which you'd only do when writing it.

not true , you could run the program exe from any directory , not just from the run menu of the compiler ,
all you would have todo is have the compiler open showing the source code ,

do you mean you want to view the source code to output even with the compiler/ide closed?

maybe make some kind of decrytor ,

like if the varible is a int in your program , then use sizeof() to confirm it
then output int , but wont be able to get the varible name

or even better -- don't waste your time with nonsense like this. It has absolutely no purpose and your time would be better spent doing just about anything else.