Optional Parameters with C++ Macros

Question

Hey there,

Is there some way of getting optional parameters with C++ Macros? Some sort of overloading would be nice too. It doesnt seem as if there is? I couldnt find any method anyway.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

gcc/g++ supports varargs macros but I don't think this is standard, so use it at your own risk.

Answer 2

C++ macros haven't changed from C. Since C didn't have overloading and default arguments for functions, it certainly didn't have them for macros. So to answer your question: no, those features don't exist for macros. Your only option is to define multiple macros with different names (or not use macros at all).

As a sidenote: In C++ it's generally considered good practice to move away from macros as much as possible. If you need features like this, there's a good chance you're overusing macros.

Answer 3

Depending on what you need, you could do it with var args with macros. Now, optional parameters or macro overloading, there is no such thing.

Answer 4

That's not really what the preprocessor is designed for.

That said, if you want to enter into the area of seriously challenging macro programming with a modicum of readability, you should take a look at the Boost preprocessor library. After all, it wouldn't be C++ if there weren't three completely Turing compatible levels of programming (preprocessor, template metaprogramming, and base level C++)!

Answer 5

#define MY_MACRO_3(X,Y,Z) ...
#define MY_MACRO_2(X,Y) MY_MACRO(X,Y,5)
#define MY_MACRO_1(X) MY_MACRO(X,42,5)

You know at the point of call how many args you're going to pass in so there's really no need for overloading.

Answer 6

Here's one way to do it. It uses the list of arguments twice, first to form the name of the helper macro, and then to pass the arguments to that helper macro. It uses a standard trick to count the number of arguments to a macro.

enum
{
    plain = 0,
    bold = 1,
    italic = 2
};

void PrintString(const char* message, int size, int style)
{
}

#define PRINT_STRING_1_ARGS(message)              PrintString(message, 0, 0)
#define PRINT_STRING_2_ARGS(message, size)        PrintString(message, size, 0)
#define PRINT_STRING_3_ARGS(message, size, style) PrintString(message, size, style)

#define GET_4TH_ARG(arg1, arg2, arg3, arg4, ...) arg4
#define PRINT_STRING_MACRO_CHOOSER(...) \
    GET_4TH_ARG(__VA_ARGS__, PRINT_STRING_3_ARGS, \
                PRINT_STRING_2_ARGS, PRINT_STRING_1_ARGS, )

#define PRINT_STRING(...) PRINT_STRING_MACRO_CHOOSER(__VA_ARGS__)(__VA_ARGS__)

int main(int argc, char * const argv[])
{
    PRINT_STRING("Hello, World!");
    PRINT_STRING("Hello, World!", 18);
    PRINT_STRING("Hello, World!", 18, bold);

    return 0;
}

This makes it easier for the caller of the macro, but not the writer.

Answer 7

#include <stdio.h>

#define PP_NARG(...) \
    PP_NARG_(__VA_ARGS__,PP_RSEQ_N())
#define PP_NARG_(...) \
    PP_ARG_N(__VA_ARGS__)
#define PP_ARG_N( \
    _1, _2, _3, _4, _5, _6, _7, _8, _9,_10, \ 
    _11,_12,_13,_14,_15,_16,_17,_18,_19,_20, \
    _21,_22,_23,_24,_25,_26,_27,_28,_29,_30, \
    _31,_32,_33,_34,_35,_36,_37,_38,_39,_40, \
    _41,_42,_43,_44,_45,_46,_47,_48,_49,_50, \
    _51,_52,_53,_54,_55,_56,_57,_58,_59,_60, \
    _61,_62,_63,N,...) N
#define PP_RSEQ_N() \
    63,62,61,60,                   \
    59,58,57,56,55,54,53,52,51,50, \
    49,48,47,46,45,44,43,42,41,40, \
    39,38,37,36,35,34,33,32,31,30, \
    29,28,27,26,25,24,23,22,21,20, \
    19,18,17,16,15,14,13,12,11,10, \
    9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0

#define PP_CONCAT(a,b) PP_CONCAT_(a,b)
#define PP_CONCAT_(a,b) a ## b

#define THINK(...) PP_CONCAT(MY_MACRO_, PP_NARG(__VA_ARGS__))(__VA_ARGS__)
#define THINK_0() THINK_1("sector zz9 plural z alpha")
#define THINK_1(location) MY_MACRO_2(location, 42)
#define THINK_2(location,answer) MY_MACRO_3(location, answer, "deep thought")
#define THINK_3(location,answer,computer) \
  printf ("The answer is %d. This was calculated by %s, and a computer to figure out what this"
          " actually means will be build in %s\n", (answer), (computer), (location))

int
main (int argc, char *argv[])
{
  THINK (); /* On compilers other than GCC you have to call with least one non-default argument */
}

DISCLAIMER: Mostly harmless.