Thread: Macro question

  1. #1
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    Macro question

    Code:

    #define XXX_A0_YYY "foo"
    #define XXX_A1_YYY "bar"
    #define getXXX(id) XXX_##id##_YYY

    The idea is that getXXX(A0) expands to XXX_A0_YYY and thus the result of "cout << getXXX(0)" is "foo".

    However, instead I get the following error message from the compiler: "XXX_id_YYY is undefined".

    Why is it not replacing 'id' with the passed parameter?

    If I remove "XXX_" from all of the above, it works correctly:

    #define A0_YYY "foo"
    #define A1_YYY "bar"
    #define getXXX(id) id##_YYY

    Now "cout << getXXX(A0)" works and prints "foo" on the screen.

  2. #2
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mole42
    The idea is that getXXX(A0) expands to XXX_A0_YYY and thus the result of "cout << getXXX(0)" is "foo".
    I think you meant to say that 'the result of "cout << getXXX(A0)" is "foo"'. This works for me:
    Code:
    #include <iostream>
    
    #define XXX_A0_YYY "foo"
    #define XXX_A1_YYY "bar"
    #define getXXX(id) XXX_##id##_YYY
    
    int main()
    {
        using namespace std;
        cout << getXXX(A0) << endl;
    }
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    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
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  3. #3
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    I tried that, I get

    "Undefined identifier: XXX_id_YYY"

    If I change:

    #define getXXX(id) XXX_##id##_YYY

    to:

    #define getXXX(id) id##_YYY

    then I get

    "Undefined identifier: A0_YYY"

    Which is what I expect.

    I'm beginning to think it's a bug in the pre-processor.

  4. #4
    Algorithm Dissector iMalc's Avatar
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    You could be right there. What compiler is it?
    My homepage
    Advice: Take only as directed - If symptoms persist, please see your debugger

    Linus Torvalds: "But it clearly is the only right way. The fact that everybody else does it some other way only means that they are wrong"

  5. #5
    and the Hat of Guessing tabstop's Avatar
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    I would expect that error message if you called it as getXXX(id) instead of getXXX(A0).

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