#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#define d 10+10
int main()
{
printf("%d",d*d);
return 0;
}
I am new to the concept of macros.I found the output for the above program to be 120.What is the logic behind it?
Thanks.
Macros are replaced literally. Think of search/replace. The compiler sees your code as 10+10*10+10
.
It is common practice to enclose macro replacement texts in parentheses for that reason:
#define d (10 + 10)
This is even more important when your macro is a function-like macro:
#define SQ(x) ((x) * (x))
Think of SQ(a + b)
...
d*d
expands into 10+10*10+10
. Multiplication comes before addition, so 10 + 100 + 10 = 120.
In general, #define
expressions should always be parenthesized: #define d (10+10)
A macro is a nothing more than a simple text replacement, so your line:
printf("%d",d*d);
becomes
printf("%d",10+10*10+10);
You could use a const
variable for more reliable behaviour:
const int d = 10+10;
The macro is expanded as is. Your program becomes
/* declarations and definitions from headers */
int main()
{
printf("%d",10+10*10+10);
return 0;
}
and the calculation is interpreted as
10 + (10 * 10) + 10
Always use parenthesis around macros (and their arguments when you have them)
#define d (10 + 10)
#define
preprocessor directive substitute the first element with the second element.
Just like a "find and replace"
I'm not sure about #include but in C# #define is used at the top to define a symbol. This allows the coder to do things like
#define DEBUG
string connStr = "myProductionDatabase";
#if DEBUG
connStr = "myTestDatabase"
#edif
10+10*10+10 = 20 + 100 = 120
Simple math ;)
Macro doesn't evaluate the value (it doesn't add 10 + 10) but simply replaces all it's occurences with the specified expression.
cpp source.c
to see how is expanded