Self_002dReferential-Macros.html 7.0 KB

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  68. <a name="Self_002dReferential-Macros-1"></a>
  69. <h4 class="subsection">3.10.5 Self-Referential Macros</h4>
  70. <a name="index-self_002dreference"></a>
  71. <p>A <em>self-referential</em> macro is one whose name appears in its
  72. definition. Recall that all macro definitions are rescanned for more
  73. macros to replace. If the self-reference were considered a use of the
  74. macro, it would produce an infinitely large expansion. To prevent this,
  75. the self-reference is not considered a macro call. It is passed into
  76. the preprocessor output unchanged. Consider an example:
  77. </p>
  78. <div class="smallexample">
  79. <pre class="smallexample">#define foo (4 + foo)
  80. </pre></div>
  81. <p>where <code>foo</code> is also a variable in your program.
  82. </p>
  83. <p>Following the ordinary rules, each reference to <code>foo</code> will expand
  84. into <code>(4 + foo)</code>; then this will be rescanned and will expand into
  85. <code>(4 + (4 + foo))</code>; and so on until the computer runs out of memory.
  86. </p>
  87. <p>The self-reference rule cuts this process short after one step, at
  88. <code>(4 + foo)</code>. Therefore, this macro definition has the possibly
  89. useful effect of causing the program to add 4 to the value of <code>foo</code>
  90. wherever <code>foo</code> is referred to.
  91. </p>
  92. <p>In most cases, it is a bad idea to take advantage of this feature. A
  93. person reading the program who sees that <code>foo</code> is a variable will
  94. not expect that it is a macro as well. The reader will come across the
  95. identifier <code>foo</code> in the program and think its value should be that
  96. of the variable <code>foo</code>, whereas in fact the value is four greater.
  97. </p>
  98. <p>One common, useful use of self-reference is to create a macro which
  99. expands to itself. If you write
  100. </p>
  101. <div class="smallexample">
  102. <pre class="smallexample">#define EPERM EPERM
  103. </pre></div>
  104. <p>then the macro <code>EPERM</code> expands to <code>EPERM</code>. Effectively, it is
  105. left alone by the preprocessor whenever it&rsquo;s used in running text. You
  106. can tell that it&rsquo;s a macro with &lsquo;<samp>#ifdef</samp>&rsquo;. You might do this if you
  107. want to define numeric constants with an <code>enum</code>, but have
  108. &lsquo;<samp>#ifdef</samp>&rsquo; be true for each constant.
  109. </p>
  110. <p>If a macro <code>x</code> expands to use a macro <code>y</code>, and the expansion of
  111. <code>y</code> refers to the macro <code>x</code>, that is an <em>indirect
  112. self-reference</em> of <code>x</code>. <code>x</code> is not expanded in this case
  113. either. Thus, if we have
  114. </p>
  115. <div class="smallexample">
  116. <pre class="smallexample">#define x (4 + y)
  117. #define y (2 * x)
  118. </pre></div>
  119. <p>then <code>x</code> and <code>y</code> expand as follows:
  120. </p>
  121. <div class="smallexample">
  122. <pre class="smallexample">x &rarr; (4 + y)
  123. &rarr; (4 + (2 * x))
  124. y &rarr; (2 * x)
  125. &rarr; (2 * (4 + y))
  126. </pre></div>
  127. <p>Each macro is expanded when it appears in the definition of the other
  128. macro, but not when it indirectly appears in its own definition.
  129. </p>
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