C++ In a Nutshell

Name

#if directive — Tests a condition

Synopsis

#if constant-expression
            

The #if directive begins a region of conditional compilation, that is, a region within a source file where preprocessor directives determine whether the code in the region is compiled. A conditional region starts with #ifdef, #ifndef, or #if and ends with #endif. Each region can have any number of #elif directives and an optional #else directive after all the #elif directives. The basic form to use is:

#if defined(_  _win32_  _)
  const char os[] = "Microsoft Windows";
#elif defined(__linux__) or defined(_  _unix_  _)
  const char os[] = "UNIX (or variant)";
#elif defined(_  _vms_  _)
  const char os[] = "VMS";
#else
  const char os[] = "(unknown)";
#endif

Macros in the directive argument are expanded, except for the operands of the defined operator. The constant expression is evaluated, and if the result is nonzero, the #if condition is true, and the code in the region that immediately follows is compiled. The region ends with #else, #elif, or #endif. If the #if expression is false, the condition for the next #elif is evaluated, and if that expression is true, its region is compiled, and so on. If all #elif expressions are false, and #else is present, its region is compiled. Conditional processing ends with the corresponding #endif directive.

Conditionals can be nested. Within an inner region, the preprocessor keeps track of conditional directives even if the region is not being compiled, so conditional directives can be properly ...