C Preprocessor
Dr. Miral M. Desai
Department of EC Engineering
FTE, CSPIT, CHARUSAT
Preprocessor in C (1)
Preprocessor in C (2)
• C Preprocessor scans and modifies the source code before compilation.
• The important functions performed by C Preprocessors are:
• Simple Macro Substitutions
• Macro with Parameters
• Conditional Compilation
• File Inclusion
• Error Generation & Pragma Directives
Advantages of Preprocessors
• Enhance Readability of Program.
• Program modification becomes easy.
• Program becomes portable and efficient
• Can be used for testing and debugging.
Preprocessors Directives
• The line starting with the ‘#’ are known as Preprocessor Directives.
• All the Preprocessor Directives are executed by the Preprocessors.
• Features of Preprocessor Directives:
• Each Preprocessor Directive start with # Symbol
• There can be only one Directive on a line
• To continue a Directive on a next line, place backslash at the end of a
line.
• Directive do not end with the semicolon
• It can be place anywhere in the program
• A Directive is active from the point of its appearance till the end of
the program
Preprocessors Directives (2)
• #define
• #include
• #if
• #else
• #elif
• #endif
• #ifdef
• #ifndef
• #error
• #undef
• #line
• #pragma
Macro
// C Program to illustrate the macro
• Macros are pieces of code in a program #include <stdio.h>
that is given some name. Whenever this
name is encountered by the compiler, // macro definition
the compiler replaces the name with the #define LIMIT 5
actual piece of code.
int main()
• The ‘#define’ directive is used to define {
a macro. for (int i = 0; i < LIMIT; i++)
{
printf("%d \n", i);
}
return 0; 0
} 1
2
3
4
Macro with Arguments
// C Program to illustrate function like macros
#include <stdio.h>
// macro with parameter
#define AREA(l, b) (l * b)
int main()
{ Area of rectangle is: 50
int l1 = 10, l2 = 5, area;
area = AREA(l1, l2);
printf("Area of rectangle is: %d", area);
return 0;
}
Nesting of Macros
#include<stdio.h>
#define Area(x) x*x
#define Costpaint(x,y,z) (z*y + Area (x))
void main()
{
int A = 8, B= 6, C = 4;
printf("The area of square= %d\n", Area(A));
printf("Cost of paint= %d\n", Costpaint(A,B,C));
}
Problem with Macros (1)
#include <stdio.h>
#define MULTIPLY(a, b) a* b
int main()
{
// The macro is expanded as 2 + 3 * 3 + 5, not as 5*8
printf("%d", MULTIPLY(2 + 3, 3 + 5));
return 0; #include <stdio.h>
}
// Output: 16 // here, instead of writing a*a we write (a)*(b)
#define MULTIPLY(a, b) (a) * (b)
int main()
{
// The macro is expanded as (2 + 3) * (3 + 5), as
5*8
printf("%d", MULTIPLY(2 + 3, 3 + 5));
return 0;
}
Problem with Macros (2)
#include <stdio.h>
#define square(x) x* x
int main()
{ #include <stdio.h>
// Expanded as 36/6*6
int x = 36 / square(6); #define square(x) (x * x)
printf("%d", x);
return 0; int main()
} {
// Expanded as 36/(6*6)
int x = 36 / square(6);
printf("%d", x);
return 0;
}
Macro Vs. Function
Conditional Compilation (1)
• #ifdef macro_name
• // Code to be executed if macro_name is defined
• #ifndef macro_name
• // Code to be executed if macro_name is not defined
• #if constant_expr
• // Code to be executed if constant_expression is true
• #elif another_constant_expr
• // Code to be excuted if another_constant_expression is true
• #else
• // Code to be excuted if none of the above conditions are true
• #endif
Conditional Compilation (2)
PI is defined
Square is not defined
#undef Directive
