Pros use Conditional Compilation
Let's explore conditional compilation in C with detailed examples, including the use of #ifdef
, #ifndef
, #else
, #endif
, and #undef
. We'll also incorporate bash scripting and environment variables to demonstrate dynamic control over compilation.
Example: Simple Conditional Compilation
// main.c
#include <stdio.h>
// Uncomment the following line to enable debugging
#define DEBUG
int main() {
#ifdef DEBUG
printf("Debugging is enabled.\n");
#else
printf("Debugging is disabled.\n");
#endif
return 0;
}
In this example, the #ifdef DEBUG
checks if the symbol DEBUG
is defined. If defined, the code within the #ifdef
block is included during compilation; otherwise, the code within the #else
block is included. If the DEBUG
line is uncommented, the output will be:
Debugging is enabled.
Example: Using Bash and Environment Variables
// main.c
#include <stdio.h>
#ifdef ENABLE_FEATURE
#define FEATURE "Feature is enabled."
#else
#define FEATURE "Feature is disabled."
#endif
int main() {
printf("%s\n", FEATURE);
return 0;
}
Bash script (compile_and_
run.sh
):
#!/bin/bash
# Enable or disable the feature by setting the environment variable
export ENABLE_FEATURE=true
# Compile the C code
gcc main.c -o my_program
# Run the compiled program
./my_program
If you run the bash script with ENABLE_FEATURE=true
, the output will be:
Feature is enabled.
If you run the bash script with ENABLE_FEATURE=false
, the output will be:
Feature is disabled.
This demonstrates how you can control the compilation behavior using environment variables.
Example: Conditional Compilation with #else and #undef
// main.c
#include <stdio.h>
// Uncomment the following line to enable debugging
#define DEBUG
int main() {
#ifdef DEBUG
printf("Debugging is enabled.\n");
#else
printf("Debugging is disabled.\n");
#endif
#ifdef RELEASE
printf("Release mode is enabled.\n");
#else
printf("Release mode is disabled.\n");
#endif
// Undefine DEBUG for the rest of the program
#undef DEBUG
#ifdef DEBUG
printf("This line won't be printed because DEBUG is undefined.\n");
#endif
return 0;
}
In this example, DEBUG
is initially defined, but then it's undefined using #undef DEBUG
. After the #undef
directive, attempting to use DEBUG
will result in a compilation error.
Compilation and Execution
To compile and run these examples, you can use the following bash commands:
# Compile and run Example 1
gcc main.c -o example1
./example1
# Compile and run Example 2
chmod +x compile_and_run.sh
./compile_and_run.sh
# Compile and run Example 3
gcc main.c -o example3
./example3
These examples illustrate how conditional compilation can be utilized in different scenarios, allowing you to control the compilation process based on preprocessor directives and external factors such as environment variables.