#Best square macro definition code

#Best square macro definition code

Here's how this technique enforces my code ordering dependency: One day while talking shop with a friend of mine, I explained my problem and he suggested using the C preprocessor to enforce the ordering. He explained the basic concept: Use preprocessor directives to define a table in the form of a macro and then redefine how the macro is expanded, as required. Much better. My only problem was that the C compiler I was working with was not compliant with the C99 standard. Back to square one. Now even if I change the ordering of the enumeration, the jumptable logic doesn’t break. * declare a table of function pointers */ * declare an enumeration of state codes */Įnum I began investigating solutions for this problem and discovered that in the C99 standard there was a new way to initialize arrays. An improved way to write the above code is as follows: The ordering of the array initializers has to match the ordering of the state code enumeration exactly. Historically I would comment this type of code liberally to warn future users about this dependency, but protection based on commenting is really no protection at all. What I needed was a tool that would automatically enforce the dependency. The issue with this type of code is maintainability.