Using constants instead of macros

Question

Is it possible to replace macros with constants, if macro is defined with another macro like this:

#define START_OFFSET    0
#define ADDRESS_OFFSET  (START + START_SIZE)
#define SIZE_OFFSET     (ADDRESS_OFFSET + ADDRESS_SIZE)
and so on

I'm not entirely sure, what will happen if I use global constants and initialize them with constants. Can that be considered safe?

The reason for using constants is for the possibility to wrap them into namespace. Btw, I'm using macros like these only for working with messages which are stored in byte arrays.

Is structure serialization is better option?

user123 · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-11 14:01:21Z

1

I'm not entirely sure, what will happen, if I use global constants and initialize them with constants. Is it safe?

Yes, that's fine.

const int i = 4;
const int j = 6;
const int k = i + j; // legal

Is structure serialization is better option?

It depends on what you want to accomplish. Right now, that question is slightly broad. There are no golden hammers in C++.

edited Jul 11, 2013 at 14:01

answered Jul 11, 2013 at 13:55

user123

9,1112 gold badges35 silver badges54 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

7 Comments

Luchian Grigore Over a year ago

That's not what const means. You can have const int x = rand(); just fine.

Luchian Grigore Over a year ago

I wouldn't call that "being more general", rather "not being wrong". const values don't have to be compile-time constants.

Amomum Over a year ago

@Magtheridon96 and is it compatible with C++03 and not platform-specific?

Amomum Over a year ago

@LuchianGrigore i need only global compile-time constants, otherwise I couldn't implement them with macros

Luchian Grigore Over a year ago

@Amomum okay, what I said was that const doesn't restrict variables to compile-time constants.

|

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Using constants instead of macros

1 Answer 1

7 Comments

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

7 Comments

Related