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From: sterten AT aol DOT com (Sterten)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Date: 05 Feb 2004 08:12:40 GMT
References: <3405-Wed04Feb2004202510+0200-eliz AT elta DOT co DOT il>
Organization: AOL Bertelsmann Online GmbH & Co. KG http://www.germany.aol.com
Subject: Re: array indices  [i][j]
Message-ID: <20040205031240.25284.00000313@mb-m16.aol.com>
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com

 >> I assume that the compiler first translates the #define 's
 >> into another  source code file  S  and then processes
 >> S in a second step.
 >
 >In effect, it does (in practice, the two phases run together).
 >
 >> So, can I code with macros and then make the compiler
 >> output the preprocessed file S also, so that everyone
 >> can have the source without macros, if he wants ?
 >
 >You can (see the -E sw to the compiler), but why would you like
 >to?

didn't you critisize using macros just 2 mails ago, because readers
might not understand them ?
That's the way how they can get the source without macros.

 >My recommendation is: when in Rome behave as a Roman. 

that's not my motto !
I'd say: when you have to behave like a Roman there,then don't go to Rome.
I mean, a method isn't superior only why most people are using it.

When I use macros and also supply the translated,preprocessed -E source
then it can hardly be worse than coding without macros ?!
It's just an additional feature and readers can chose which version
they take.

 >That is, when
 >you work in a certain programming language, use the syntactic
 >conventions of that programming language, even if facilities like
 >macros allow you to redefine almost everything.

that reminds me to Don Knuth's programs.
http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/programs.html
He is one of the world's leading authorities for algorithms and he provides
many interesting programs on his webpage, but I can't read nor compile them
because he uses an own,unusual language similar to C but with some
special "macros".

I'd  appreciate, if someone could tell me how to translate
his programs to C easily.


Guenter