Often it is desirable to define a macro that expands into a compound statement. Consider, for example, the following macro, that advances a pointer (the argument p
says where to find it) across whitespace characters:
#define SKIP_SPACES(p, limit) \ { char *lim = (limit); \ while (p < lim) { \ if (*p++ != ' ') { \ p--; break; }}}
Here backslash-newline is used to split the macro definition, which must be a single logical line, so that it resembles the way such code would be laid out if not part of a macro definition.
A call to this macro might be SKIP_SPACES (p, lim)
. Strictly speaking, the call expands to a compound statement, which is a complete statement with no need for a semicolon to end it. However, since it looks like a function call, it minimizes confusion if you can use it like a function call, writing a semicolon afterward, as in SKIP_SPACES (p, lim);
This can cause trouble before else
statements, because the semicolon is actually a null statement. Suppose you write
if (*p != 0) SKIP_SPACES (p, lim); else ...
The presence of two statements—the compound statement and a null statement—in between the if
condition and the else
makes invalid C code.
The definition of the macro SKIP_SPACES
can be altered to solve this problem, using a do ... while
statement. Here is how:
#define SKIP_SPACES(p, limit) \ do { char *lim = (limit); \ while (p < lim) { \ if (*p++ != ' ') { \ p--; break; }}} \ while (0)
Now SKIP_SPACES (p, lim);
expands into
do {...} while (0);
which is one statement. The loop executes exactly once; most compilers generate no extra code for it.
© Free Software Foundation
Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3.
https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc-6.3.0/cpp/Swallowing-the-Semicolon.html