C/C++

PREPROCESSOR

PDPU
 OBJECTIVES…

 Understand the features of C/C++

preprocessor
 Macro Expansion
 Macros with Arguments
 Macros vs. Functions
 File Inclusion
 Conditional Compilation

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 STEPS : .CPP  .EXE

HAND WRITTEN PROGRAM TEXT EDITOR

C++ SOURCE CODE ( .CPP) PREPROCESSOR

EXPANDED SOURCE CODE (.i) COMPILER

OBJECT CODE ( .OBJ) LINKER

EXECUTABLE CODE ( .EXE)

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 Preprocessor directives…

 Instructions to the compiler in the source

code.
 Begins with a # symbol.
 Can be placed anywhere in a program.
 Generally placed at the beginning of a
program.
 Expand the scope of the programming
environment.
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 Macro Expansion…

 #define macro-template macro-expansion

 #define PI 3.1415
 During preprocessing, the preprocessor replaces
every occurrence of PI in the program with 3.1415.
 No semicolon in the statement.
 C/C++ programmers commonly use upper case
letters for Macro.
 A macro template and its macro expansion are
separated by blanks or tabs.
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 Macro Expansion… Example…

#include <iostream.h>
#include <conio.h>
#define MAX 5
void main()
{
int i, a[MAX];
for(i=0;i<MAX;i++)
a[i] = i;
6 }
 Macro Expansion… Example…
After Pre-processing

#include <iostream.h>
#include <conio.h>
#define MAX 5
void main()
{
int i, a[5];
for(i=0;i<5;i++)
a[i] = i;
7 }
 Another Example…

#define AND &&

#define OR ||
void main( )
{
int f=1,x=4,y=90;
if (f < 5) AND ( x <=20 OR y <=45)
cout << “Your PC contains Virus\n”;
}
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 Use of #define to replace a condition…

#define AND &&

#define A_RANGE (a >25 AND a < 50)
void main( )
{
int a = 30;
if (A_RANGE)
cout << “Within Range…”;
else
cout << “Out of Range…”;
9 }
 Macros with Arguments…

 Like functions, Macros can have arguments.

#include <iostream.h>
#define ABS(a) (a)<0?-(a):(a)
void main( )
{
cout << “abs of -1 and 1: “ << ABS(-1) << “ “
<< ABS(1);
}
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 Macros with Arguments…

 What will be the output of the following code?

#include <iostream.h>
#define ABS(a) a<0?-a:a // removed ( )
void main( )
{
cout << “abs of (10-20) is “ << ABS(10-20);
}
~~ABS(10-20) expanded as 10-20<0?-10-20:10-20
11 ~~Output is -10 and not 10 as expected.
 Macros with Arguments…
Another Example…

#define ISDIGIT(y) (y >=48 && y <= 57)

void main( )
{
char ch;
cout << “Enter any digit\n”; cin >> ch;
if (! ISDIGIT(ch) )
cout << “Illegal Input\n”;
}
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 Macros with Arguments…
Few Important Points …

 Do not leave a blank between the macro

template and its arguments while defining a
macro.
e.g. #define ISDIGIT (y) (y >=48 && y <= 57)
will yield wrong results.
 The entire macro expansion should be
enclosed within parentheses.
e.g. #define SQUARE(n) n * n
J = 64 / SQUARE(4);
13  J will contain 64 and not 4.
 Macros with Arguments…
Few Important Points …

 Macros can be split into multiple lines with a

‘\’ (back slash) present at the end of each line.
 #define long_string “this is a very long \
string that is used as an example.”

 Although parameterized macros are a

valuable feature, C++ has a better way of
creating inline code, which uses the inline
keyword.
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 Macros versus Functions…

 Though macro calls are like function calls,

they are not really same.
 In a macro call the preprocessor replaces the
macro template with its macro expansion, in
a stupid, unthinking, literal way.
 As against this, in a function call the control
is passed to a function along with certain
arguments, some calculations are performed
and a useful value is returned back from a
function.
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 Macros versus Functions…

 Usually macros make the program run faster

but increase the program size, whereas
function make the program smaller and
compact.
 If we use a macro 100 times in a program, the
macro expansion goes at 100 diff. places,
thus increasing the program size.
 If a function is used, it would take the same
amount of space , even though used for 100
times.
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 Macros versus Functions…

 Function call always contain overhead as

– It has to pass arguments,
– It has to return some value from the function.
 This takes some time and would slow down
the program.
 This gets avoided with macros since they
have already been expanded and placed in a
source code before compilation.

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 Macros versus Functions…

 If a macro is simple and sweet, use it to avoid

the overheads associated with function call.
 If we have a fairly large macro and it is used
fairly often, use function.

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 File Inclusion…

 #include directive instructs the compiler to

insert another source file at that point in the
program.
 The name of the additional source file must
be enclosed between double quotes or angle
brackets.
 General Form to include a File:
#include <filename>
19 #include “filename”
 File Inclusion…

 In a large program, the code is broken into

several files, each file is included with the
help of #include at the beginning of main
program file.
 Some functions and macros that we need in
all programs , can be stored in a file, and that
can be included in every program we write.

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 File Inclusion…

 #include “filename” will search for file in

current directory first and if not found then, in
specified list of directories as mentioned in
the include search path.
 #include <filename> will search for file in
the specified list of directories only.

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 Conditional Compilation…

 There are several directives that allow you to

selectively compile portions of your
program’s source code.
 #ifdef , #ifndef
 #if
 #else
 #elif
 #endif
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 #ifdef…

#ifdef MACRONAME
statement 1;
statement 2;
statement 3;
#endif

 If macroname has been #defined earlier, the

block of code will be processed as usual;
23 otherwise not.
 #ifdef… WHEN TO USE?...

 To comment out obsolete lines of code.

– It often happens that a program is changed
at the last minute to satisfy a client.
– This involves rewriting some part of source
code and deleting the old code.
– But if client changes his mind and asks for
the old code as it was earlier… RETYPING?

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 #ifdef… WHEN TO USE?...

void main ( )
{
#ifdef OKAY
statement 1; statement 2;
/*detect virus */
#endif
statement 3; statement 4;
}
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 #ifdef…
MORE SOPHISTICATED USE...

void main ( )
{
#ifdef INTEL
code suitable for an Intel PC
#else
code suitable for a Motorola PC
#endif
code common to both PCs;
26 }
 #ifndef… means if not defined…
works opposite to #ifdef.

void main ( )
{
#ifndef INTEL
code suitable for a Motorola PC
#else
code suitable for an intel PC
#endif
code common to both PCs;
27 }
 #if and #elif directives…

 #if can be used to test whether an expression

evaluates to a nonzero value or not.
 If the result of the expression is nonzero,
then subsequent lines upto a #else, #elif or
#endif are compiled, otherwise they are
skipped.
 Look at the example…

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 #if , #else, #endif directives…

#if ADAPTER == VGA

// code for video graphics array
#else
#if ADAPTER == SVGA
// code for super video graphics array
#else
// code for extended graphics adapter
#endif
29 #endif
 #elif directive…

#if ADAPTER == VGA

// code for video graphics array
#elif ADAPTER == SVGA
// code for super video graphics array
#else
// code for extended graphics adapter
#endif
 Number of #endif gets reduced with the use of
30 #elif.
 Summary…

 The preprocessor directives enable the

programmer to write programs that are easy
to develop, read, modify and transport to a
different computer system.
 We can make use of different directives like
#define, #include, #if , #else, #endif, #elif,
#ifdef, #ifndef.

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 References…

 Let Us C – by Yashavant Kanetkar

Bpb Publication – 5th Edition
Chapter 7 – Pages 241 To 267
 The Complete Reference
– by Herbert Schildt
– Tata McGraw-Hill – 4th Edition
Chapter 10 – Pages 237 To 250

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