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Keywords that I don't understand

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved C / C++ / MFC
c++helpquestionlearning
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  • J Jeremy Falcon

    Josh Gray wrote:

    Also this[^] discussion is relevant.

    It's also confusing bad macro design with bad design in general. Apples to oranges.

    Josh Gray wrote:

    but if you think you know better than him or me macro away till the cows come home, I really dont care

    Tell me then, since he designed C++, why didn't he drop macro support if he loathed the mere existence of them that much? Compatibility can't be the reason as it was a brand new language at the time, and wouldn't effect C. I can understand making it completely compile C code, but why not specify compilers replace macros with something else under the hood, etc. I mean, why keep them if they're so bad?

    Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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    Lost User
    wrote on last edited by
    #22

    Jeremy Falcon wrote:

    Tell me then, since he designed C++, why didn't he drop macro support if he loathed the mere existence of them that much? Compatibility can't be the reason as it was a brand new language at the time, and wouldn't effect C. I can understand making it completely compile C code, but why not specify compilers replace macros with something else under the hood, etc. I mean, why keep them if they're so bad?

    Obviously I could only speculate at this and that would be pointless. It is my preference to avoid macros whenever possible.

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    • J Jeremy Falcon

      Stephen Hewitt wrote:

      Perhaps you can explain the advantages of macros over inline functions?

      Perhaps you can read my posts and find the answer there already seeing as I said it more than once.

      Stephen Hewitt wrote:

      - Type safety.

      Addressed twice. The type safety you refer to isn't a real issue since a macro expands to type safe code.

      Stephen Hewitt wrote:

      - Automatically disabled in debug builds to aid debugging.

      And like typing #ifdef _DEBUG will break your arm.

      Stephen Hewitt wrote:

      - Can use multiline constructs without having to end each line with a "\".

      You know you're reaching deep when you have syntax as reasoning. :laugh:

      Stephen Hewitt wrote:

      - Can be put into namespaces! - Can be members of classes and structs. - Can be overloaded.

      Actually these are very good points, but it doesn't really mean inline functions should always be used in place of macros as you suggest. Besides, this has contradicting logic. I mean, why write an inline function... usually for speed right? Using the second two of your three points quoted would effectively break that anyway.

      Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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      Stephen Hewitt
      wrote on last edited by
      #23

      No one says macros should never be used, just that they shouldn’t be used when other superior constructs exist for the same task; the specific example in this case is that macros should not be used as inline functions. I have constantly argued the point, complete with examples and data (compiler output) to support my claims; while you seem intent on arguing the person and accusing people of missing the point. Well I've had my say and I'll let my comments speak for themselves.

      Steve

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      • S Stephen Hewitt

        No one says macros should never be used, just that they shouldn’t be used when other superior constructs exist for the same task; the specific example in this case is that macros should not be used as inline functions. I have constantly argued the point, complete with examples and data (compiler output) to support my claims; while you seem intent on arguing the person and accusing people of missing the point. Well I've had my say and I'll let my comments speak for themselves.

        Steve

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        Jeremy Falcon
        wrote on last edited by
        #24

        Stephen Hewitt wrote:

        No one says macros should never be used, just that they shouldn’t be use when other superior constructs exist for the same task; the specific example in this case is that macros should not be used as inline functions.

        I'm sorry you don't understand context - my bad. I'll have to remember that next time I write something.

        Stephen Hewitt wrote:

        I have constantly argued the point, complete with examples and data (compiler output) to support my claims;

        And that makes you correct how?

        Stephen Hewitt wrote:

        while you seem intent on arguing the person and accusing people of missing the point. Well I've had my say and I'll let my comments speak for themselves.

        Fair enough, but don't accuse me of what you did, and that is to argue a point I never spoke against. Have a nice day.

        Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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        • S Stephen Hewitt

          No one says macros should never be used, just that they shouldn’t be used when other superior constructs exist for the same task; the specific example in this case is that macros should not be used as inline functions. I have constantly argued the point, complete with examples and data (compiler output) to support my claims; while you seem intent on arguing the person and accusing people of missing the point. Well I've had my say and I'll let my comments speak for themselves.

          Steve

          J Offline
          J Offline
          Jeremy Falcon
          wrote on last edited by
          #25

          Stephen Hewitt wrote:

          No one says macros should never be used, just that they shouldn’t be use when other superior constructs exist for the same task; the specific example in this case is that macros should not be used as inline functions.

          Actually, I just reread what I said. I did mention inline functions. Perhaps you should bother reading my posts... oh wait.

          Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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          • L Lost User

            Jeremy Falcon wrote:

            Tell me then, since he designed C++, why didn't he drop macro support if he loathed the mere existence of them that much? Compatibility can't be the reason as it was a brand new language at the time, and wouldn't effect C. I can understand making it completely compile C code, but why not specify compilers replace macros with something else under the hood, etc. I mean, why keep them if they're so bad?

            Obviously I could only speculate at this and that would be pointless. It is my preference to avoid macros whenever possible.

            J Offline
            J Offline
            Jeremy Falcon
            wrote on last edited by
            #26

            Josh Gray wrote:

            Obviously I could only speculate at this and that would be pointless. It is my preference to avoid macros whenever possible.

            Well, let's make a deal. I won't hold it against you if you don't hold it against me for sneaking the occasional macro or two in some code when you're not looking. :-D

            Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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            • J Jeremy Falcon

              Josh Gray wrote:

              Obviously I could only speculate at this and that would be pointless. It is my preference to avoid macros whenever possible.

              Well, let's make a deal. I won't hold it against you if you don't hold it against me for sneaking the occasional macro or two in some code when you're not looking. :-D

              Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

              L Offline
              L Offline
              Lost User
              wrote on last edited by
              #27

              Jeremy Falcon wrote:

              if you don't hold it against me for sneaking the occasional macro or two in some code when you're not looking.

              Its a long piece of rope, you do what you like with it

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              • J Jeremy Falcon

                Christian Graus wrote:

                inline is a *suggestion* to the compiler that this function is so simple

                I hate to use your post, but that's a great reason I forgot. There is no real guarantee inline will even work. You're guaranteed to have inline expansion with macros though. Man, old age is getting to me. :-O

                Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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                Stephen Hewitt
                wrote on last edited by
                #28

                The only times I've seen MSVC ignore an inline directive is when its had no choice such as with recursive functions: in this context this is a feature.

                Steve

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                • S Stephen Hewitt

                  The only times I've seen MSVC ignore an inline directive is when its had no choice such as with recursive functions: in this context this is a feature.

                  Steve

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                  Jeremy Falcon
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #29

                  Stephen Hewitt wrote:

                  The only times I've seen MSVC ignore an inline directive is when its had no choice such as with recursive functions: in this context this is a feature.

                  And MSVC is the only compiler in existence too.

                  Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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                  • J Jeremy Falcon

                    Stephen Hewitt wrote:

                    The only times I've seen MSVC ignore an inline directive is when its had no choice such as with recursive functions: in this context this is a feature.

                    And MSVC is the only compiler in existence too.

                    Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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                    Stephen Hewitt
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #30

                    No, it isn't. Until recently it was one of the worst (MSVC 6) in common use. I have inspected the machine code generated by MSVC 6 (I do a lot of postmortem debugging at work) and the inlining works as expected except when that’s not possible, as I mentioned before. The Microsoft compilers after MSVC 6 produce even better code from what I’ve seen. All modern C++ compiler support inlining just fine.

                    Steve

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                    • S Stephen Hewitt

                      No, it isn't. Until recently it was one of the worst (MSVC 6) in common use. I have inspected the machine code generated by MSVC 6 (I do a lot of postmortem debugging at work) and the inlining works as expected except when that’s not possible, as I mentioned before. The Microsoft compilers after MSVC 6 produce even better code from what I’ve seen. All modern C++ compiler support inlining just fine.

                      Steve

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                      Lost User
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #31

                      And some even inline code without you asking for it if the optimisation is set right :)

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                      • L Lost User

                        And some even inline code without you asking for it if the optimisation is set right :)

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                        Stephen Hewitt
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #32

                        On MSVC this can be controlled with the /Ob[^] compiler switch.

                        Steve

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                        • S Stephen Hewitt

                          No, it isn't. Until recently it was one of the worst (MSVC 6) in common use. I have inspected the machine code generated by MSVC 6 (I do a lot of postmortem debugging at work) and the inlining works as expected except when that’s not possible, as I mentioned before. The Microsoft compilers after MSVC 6 produce even better code from what I’ve seen. All modern C++ compiler support inlining just fine.

                          Steve

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                          Jeremy Falcon
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #33

                          Stephen Hewitt wrote:

                          Until recently it was one of the worst (MSVC 6) in common use. I have inspected the machine code generated by MSVC 6 (I do a lot of postmortem debugging at work) and the inlining works as expected except when that’s not possible, as I mentioned before. The Microsoft compilers after MSVC 6 produce even better code from what I’ve seen.

                          And you just felt the need to say this right? I don't really see how this has anything to do with the point that was quoted - which I'm sure you could've guessed is sarcasm.

                          Stephen Hewitt wrote:

                          All modern C++ compiler support inlining just fine.

                          Nice blanket statement there. Notice the extra little comments in these links that have nothing to do with recursion. http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Inline.html[^] http://www.osc.edu/hpc/manuals/ia64/docs2/c_ug_lnx.pdf[^] I don't know about you, but it seems easier to me to just use a macro rather than learn all the quirks of every compiler in the world.

                          Jeremy Falcon "It's a good thing to do and a tasty way to do it." - Wilford Brimley[^]

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