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C++ portability guide
version 0.7 by David Williams 27 March 1998
Updated and maintained by Scott
Collins and Christopher
Blizzard
What follows is a set of rules, guidelines, and tips that we have found
to be useful in making C++ code portable across many machines and
compilers.
This information is the result of porting large amounts of code across
about 25 different machines, and at least a dozen different C++ compilers.
Some of these things will frustrate you and make you want to throw your
hands up and say, ``well, that's just a stupid compiler if it doesn't do
<insert favorite C++ feature>.'' But this is the reality of
portable code. If you play by the rules, your code will seamlessly work on
all of the Mozilla platforms and will be easy to port to newer machines.
We will endeavor to keep the information up to date (for example,
sometimes a new compiler revision will lift a restriction). If you have
updates on any of these tips, more information, more ideas, please forward
them to Christopher Blizzard or
Scott Collins.
If you find code in Mozilla that violates any of these rules, please
report it as a bug.
You can use bonsai to
find the author.
- Don't
use C++ templates. (*)
- Don't
use static constructors.
- Don't
use exceptions.
- Don't
use Run-time Type Information.
- Don't
use namespace facility.
- main()
must be in a C++ file.
- Use
the common denominator between members of a C/C++ compiler family.
- Don't
put C++ comments in C code.
- Don't
put carriage returns in XP code.
- Put
a new line at end-of-file.
- Don't
put extra top-level semi-colons in code.
- C++
filename extension is .cpp.
- Don't
mix varargs and inlines.
- Don't
use initializer lists with objects.
- Always
have a default constructor.
- Don't
put constructors in header files.
- Be
careful with inner-classes.
- Be
careful of variable declarations that require construction or
initialization.
- Make
header files compatible with C and C++.
- Be
careful of the scoping of variables declared inside for()
statements.
- Declare
local initialized aggregates as static.
- Expect
complex inlines to be non-portable.
- Don't
use return statements that have an inline function in the return
expression.
- Be
careful with the include depth of files and file size.
- Use
virtual declaration on all subclass virtual member functions.
- Always
declare a copy constructor and assignment operator.
- Be
careful of overloaded methods with like signatures.
- Type
scalar constants to avoid unexpected ambiguities.
- Always
use PRBool or XP_Bool for boolean variables in XP code.
- Use
macros for C++ style casts.
- Don't
use mutable.
- Use
nsCOMPtr in XPCOM code.
- Always
use the nspr types for intrinsic types.
- Do
not wrap include statements with an #ifdef.
- #include
statements should include only simple filenames.
- Macs
complain about assignments in boolean expressions.
- Every
source file must have a unique name.
- Use
#if 0 rather than comments to temporarily kill blocks of
code.
- Turn
on warnings for your compiler, and then write warning free code.
C++ portability rules.
- Don't use C++ templates.
(*)
Don't use the C++ template feature. This feature is still not
implemented by all compilers, and even when it is implemented, there is
great variation. Most of the interesting things that you would want to
do with templates (type safe container classes, etc.) can be implemented
with macros and casting, even though you do lose the type safety (pity).
Often times subclassing can easily achieve the same result.
(*) There is a an exception to
this rule: nsCOMPtr.
However, this does not mean "Open Season" for template code. The "Don't
use C++ templates" rule still applies. nsCOMPtr is allowed because
the authors spent a lot of time making sure their use of templates does
not break poor compilers.
It is very likely that other "simple" template code will break some
poor compilers which we need to support.
- Don't use static
constructors.
Non-portable example: FooBarClass static_object(87, 92);
void
bar()
{
if (static_object.count > 15) {
...
}
}
Static constructors don't work reliably either. A static
initialized object is an object which is instanciated at startup time
(just before main() is called). Usually there are two
components to these objects. First there is the data segment which is
static data loaded into the global data segment of the program. The
second part is a initializer function that is called by the loader
before main() is called. We've found that many compilers do not
reliably implement the initializer function. So you get the object data,
but it is never initialized. One workaround for this limitation is to
write a wrapper function that creates a single instance of an object,
and replace all references to the static initialized object with a call
to the wrapper function:
Portable example: static FooBarClass* static_object;
FooBarClass*
getStaticObject()
{
if (!static_object)
static_object =
new FooBarClass(87, 92);
return static_object;
}
void
bar()
{
if (getStaticObject()->count > 15) {
...
}
}
- Don't use exceptions.
Exceptions are another C++ feature which is not very widely
implemented, and as such, their use is not portable C++ code. Don't use
them. Unfortunately, there is no good workaround that produces similar
functionality.
One exception to this rule (don't say it) is that it's probably ok,
and may be necessary to use exceptions in some machine specific code. If
you do use exceptions in machine specific code you must catch all
exceptions there because you can't throw the exception across XP (cross
platform) code.
- Don't use Run-time Type Information.
Run-time type information (RTTI) is a relatively new C++ feature, and
not supported in many compilers. Don't use it.
If you need runtime typing, you can achieve a similar result by
adding a classOf() virtual member function to the base class of
your hierarchy and overriding that member function in each subclass. If
classOf() returns a unique value for each class in the
hierarchy, you'll be able to do type comparisons at runtime.
- Don't use namespace facility.
Support of namespaces (through the namespace and
using keywords) is a relatively new C++ feature, and not
supported in many compilers. Don't use it.
- main() must be in a C++
file.
The first C++ compiler, Cfront, was in fact a very fancy preprocessor
for a C compiler. Cfront reads the C++ code, and generates C code that
would do the same thing. C++ startup is slightly different to C startup
(for example static constructor functions must be called for C++), and
Cfront implements this special startup by noticing the function called
"main()", converting it to something else (like
"__cpp__main()"), adding another main() that does the
special C++ startup things and then calls the original function. Of
course for all this to work, Cfront needs to see the
main() function, hence main() must be in a C++ file.
Most compilers lifted this restriction years ago, and deal with the C++
special initialization duties as a linker issue. But there are a few
commercial compilers shipping that are still based on Cfront: HP, and
SCO, are examples.
So the workaround is quite simple. Make sure that main() is
in a C++ file. On the Unix version of Mozilla, we did this by adding a
new C++ file which has only a few lines of code, and calls the main
main() which is actually in a C file.
- Use the common denominator between
members of a C/C++ compiler family.
For many of the compiler families we use, the implementation of the C
and C++ compilers are completely different, sometimes this means that
there are things you can do in the C language, that you cannot do in the
C++ language on the same machine. One example is the 'long long' type.
On some systems (IBM's compiler used to be one, but I think it's better
now), the C compiler supports long long, while the C++ compiler does
not. This can make porting a pain, as often times these types are in
header files shared between C and C++ files. The only thing you can do
is to go with the common denominator that both compilers support. In the
special case of long long, we developed a set of macros for supporting
64 bit integers when the long long type is not available. We have to use
these macros if either the C or the C++ compiler does not support the
special 64 bit type.
- Don't put C++ comments in C
code.
The quickest way to raise the blood pressure of a Netscape Unix
engineer is to put C++ comments (// comments) into C
files. Yes, this might work on your Microsoft Visual C compiler, but
it's wrong, and is not supported by the vast majority of C compilers in
the world. Just do not go there.
Many header files will be included by C files and included by C++
files. We think it's a good idea to apply this same rule to those
headers. Don't put C++ comments in header files included in C files. You
might argue that you could use C++ style comments inside
#ifdef __cplusplus blocks, but we are not
convinced that is always going to work (some compilers have weird
interactions between comment stripping and pre-processing), and it
hardly seems worth the effort. Just stick to C style /**/
comments for any header file that is ever likely to be included by a C
file.
- Don't put carriage returns in XP code.
While this is not specific to C++, we have seen this as more of an
issue with C++ compilers, see Use
the common denominator between members of a C/C++ compiler family.
On unix systems, the standard end of line character is new line
('\n'). The standard on many PC editors is carriage return
('\r'). The PC compilers seem to be happy either way, but some
Unix compilers just choke when they see a carriage return (they do not
recognize the character as white space). So, we have a rule that you
cannot check in carriage returns into any cross platform code. This rule
is not enforced on the Windows front end code, as that code is only ever
compiled on a PC. The Mac compilers seem to be happy either way, but the
same rule applies as for the PC - no carriage returns in cross platform
code.
- Put a new line at end-of-file.
Not having a new-line char at the end of file breaks .h files with
the Sun WorkShop compiler and it breaks .cpp files on HP.
- Don't put extra top-level
semi-colons in code.
Non-portable example: int
A::foo()
{
};
This is another problem that seems to show up more on C++ than C
code. This is problem really a bit of a drag. That extra little
semi-colon at the end of the function is ignored by most compilers, but
it makes some compilers very unhappy (IBM's AIX compiler doesn't like
extra top-level semi-colons). Don't do it.
Portable example: int
A::foo()
{
}
- C++ filename extension is
.cpp.
This one is another plain annoying problem. What's the name of a C++
file? file.cpp, file.cc, file.C,
file.cxx, file.c++, file.C++? Most compilers
could care less, but some are very particular. We have not been able to
find one file extension which we can use on all the platforms we have
ported Mozilla code to. For no great reason, we've settled on
file.cpp, probably because the first C++ code in Mozilla code
was checked in with that extension. Well, it's done. The extension we
use is .cpp. This extension seems to make most compilers happy,
but there are some which do not like it. On those systems we have to
create a wrapper for the compiler (see STRICT_CPLUSPLUS_SUFFIX
in ns/config/rules.mk and ns/build/*), which actually
copies the file.cpp file to another file with the correct
extension, compiles the new file, then deletes it. If in porting to a
new system, you have to do something like this, make sure you use the
#line directive so that the compiler generates debug
information relative to the original .cpp file.
- Don't mix varargs and
inlines.
Non-portable example: class FooBar {
void va_inline(char* p, ...) {
// something
}
};
The subject says it all, varargs and inline functions do not seem
to mix very well. If you must use varargs (which can cause portability
problems on their own), then ensure that the vararg member function is a
non-inline function.
Portable example: // foobar.h
class FooBar {
void
va_non_inline(char* p, ...);
};
// foobar.cpp
void
FooBar::va_non_inline(char* p, ...)
{
// something
}
- Don't use initializer lists
with objects.
Non-portable example: FooClass myFoo = {10, 20};
Some compilers won't allow this syntax for objects (HP-UX won't),
actually only some will allow it. So don't do it. Again, use a wrapper
function, see Don't
use static constructors.
- Always have a default
constructor.
Always have a default constructor, even if it doesn't make sense in
terms of the object structure/hierarchy. HP-UX will barf on statically
initialized objects that don't have default constructors.
- Don't put constructors in
header files.
The Visual C++ 1.5 compiler for windows is really flaky, and putting
constructors into the headers seems to be one of the causes of
mysterious internal compiler errors.
- Be careful with inner-classes.
Some compilers (HP-UX) generally require that types (classes, enums,
etc.) declared inside of another class should be referred to with their
fully scoped form (e.g., Foo::kListMaxLen versus
kListMaxLen).
- Be careful of variable
declarations that require construction or initialization.
Non-portable example: void
A::foo(int c)
{
switch(c) {
case FOOBAR_1:
XyzClass buf(100);
// stuff
break;
}
}
Be careful with variable placement around if blocks and switch
statements. Some compilers (HP-UX) require that any variable requiring a
constructor/initializer to be run, needs to be at the start of the
method -- it won't compile code when a variable is declared inside a
switch statement and needs a default constructor to run.
Portable example: void
A::foo(int c)
{
XyzClass buf(100);
switch(c) {
case FOOBAR_1:
// stuff
break;
}
}
- Make header files compatible with
C and C++.
Non-portable example: /*oldCheader.h*/
int existingCfunction(char*);
int anotherExistingCfunction(char*);
/* oldCfile.c */
#include "oldCheader.h"
...
// new file.cpp
extern "C" {
#include "oldCheader.h"
};
...
If you make new header files with exposed C interfaces, make the
header files work correctly when they are included by both C and C++
files. If you start including an existing C header in new C++ files, fix
the C header file to support C++ (as well as C), don't just
extern "C" {} the old header file. Do this:
Portable example: /*oldCheader.h*/
#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C" {
#endif
int existingCfunction(char*);
int anotherExistingCfunction(char*);
#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif
/* oldCfile.c */
#include "oldCheader.h"
...
// new file.cpp
#include "oldCheader.h"
...
There are number of reasons for doing this, other than just good
style. For one thing, you are making life easier for everyone else,
doing the work in one common place (the header file) instead of all the
C++ files that include it. Also, by making the C header safe for C++,
you document that "hey, this file is now being included in C++". That's
a good thing. You also avoid a big portability nightmare that is nasty
to fix...
Some systems include C++ in system header files that are designed to
be included by C or C++. Not just extern "C" {}
guarding, but actual C++ code, usually in the form of inline functions
that serve as "optimizations". While we question the wisdom of vendors
doing this, there is nothing we can do about it. Changing system header
files, is not a path we wish to take. Anyway, so why is this a problem?
Take for example the following code fragment:
Non-portable example: /*system.h*/
#ifdef __cplusplus
/* optimization */
inline int sqr(int x) {return(x*x);}
#endif
/*header.h*/
#include <system.h>
int existingCfunction(char*);
// file.cpp
extern "C" {
#include "header.h"
}
What's going to happen? When the C++ compiler finds the
extern "C" declaration in file.cpp, it
will switch dialects to C, because it's assumed all the code inside is C
code, and C's type free name rules need to be applied. But the
__cplusplus pre-processor macro is still defined (that's seen by the
pre-processor, not the compiler). In the system header file the C++ code
inside the #ifdef __cplusplus block will be seen
by the compiler (now running in C mode). Syntax Errors galore! If
instead the extern "C" was done in the header
file, the C functions can be correctly guarded, leaving the systems
header file out of the equation. This works:
Portable example: /*system.h*/
#ifdef __cplusplus
/* optimization */
inline int sqr(int x) {return(x*x);}
#endif
/*header.h*/
#include <system.h>
extern "C" {
int existingCfunction(char*);
}
// file.cpp
#include "header.h"
One more thing before we leave the extern
"C" segment of the program. Sometimes you're going to have
to extern "C" system files. This is because you
need to include C system header files that do not have extern
"C" guarding themselves. Most vendors have updated all their
headers to support C++, but there are still a few out there that won't
grok C++. You might have to do this only for some platforms, not for
others (using #ifdef SYSTEM_X). The safest place to do
extern "C" a system header file (in fact the
safest place to include a system header file) is at the lowest place
possible in the header file inclusion hierarchy. That is, push all this
stuff down to the header files closer to the system code, don't do this
stuff in the mail header files. Ideally the best place to do this is in
the NSPR or XP header files - which sit directly on the system code.
- Be careful of the scoping of variables
declared inside for() statements.
Non-portable example: void
A::foo()
{
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
// do something
}
// i might get referenced
// after the loop.
...
}
This is actually an issue that comes about because the C++
standard has changed over time. The original C++ specification would
scope the i as part of the outer block (in this case function
A::foo()). The standard changed so that now the i in is
scoped within the for() {} block. Most compilers
use the new standard. Some compilers (for example, HP-UX) still use the
old standard. Some other compilers (for example, gcc) use the new rules,
but will tolerate the old. If i was referenced later in the
for() {} block, gcc will allow the construct, but
give a warning about use of an "obsolete binding". So, while the code
above is valid, it would become ambiguous if i was used later in
the function. It's probably better to be on the safe side and declare
the iterator variable outside of the for() loop. Then you'll
know what you are getting on all platforms:
Portable example: void
A::foo()
{
int i;
for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
// do something
}
// i might get referenced
// after the loop.
...
}
- Declare local initialized aggregates as
static.
Non-portable example: void
A:: func_foo()
{
char* foo_int[] = {"1", "2", "C"};
...
}
This seemingly innocent piece of code will generate a "loader
error" using the HP-UX compiler/linker. If you really meant for the
array to be static data, say so:
Portable example: void
A:: func_foo()
{
static char *foo_int[] = {"1", "2", "C"};
...
}
Otherwise you can keep the array as an automatic, and initialize
by hand:
Portable example: void
A:: func_foo()
{
char *foo_int[3];
foo_int[0] = XP_STRDUP("1");
foo_int[1] = XP_STRDUP("2");
foo_int[2] = XP_STRDUP("C");
// or something equally Byzantine...
...
}
- Expect complex inlines to be
non-portable.
Non-portable example: class FooClass {
...
int fooMethod(char* p) {
if (p[0] == '\0')
return -1;
doSomething();
return 0;
}
...
};
It's surprising, but many C++ compilers do a very bad job of
handling inline member functions. Cfront based compilers (like those on
SCO and HP-UX) are prone to give up on all but the most simple inline
functions, with the error message "sorry, unimplemented". Often times
the source of this problem is an inline with multiple return statements.
The fix for this is to resolve the returns into a single point at the
end of the function. But there are other constructs which will result in
"not implemented". For this reason, you'll see that most of the C++ code
in Mozilla does not use inline functions. We don't want to legislate
inline functions away, but you should be aware that there is some danger
in using them, so do so only when there is some measurable gain (not
just a random hope of performance win). Maybe you should just not go
there.
Portable example: class FooClass {
...
int fooMethod(char* p) {
int return_value;
if (p[0] == '\0') {
return_value = -1;
} else {
doSomething();
return_value = 0;
}
return return_value;
}
...
};
Or
Portable example: class FooClass {
...
int fooMethod(char* p);
...
};
int FooClass::fooMethod(char* p)
{
if (p[0] == '\0')
return -1;
doSomething();
return 0;
}
- Don't use return statements that have
an inline function in the return expression.
For the same reason as the previous tip, don't use return statements
that have an inline function in the return expression. You'll get that
same "sorry, unimplemented" error. Store the return value in a
temporary, then pass that back.
- Be careful with the include depth of files
and file size.
Be careful with the include depth of files and file size. The
Microsoft Visual C++1.5 compiler will generate internal compiler errors
if you have a large include depth or large file size. Be careful to
limit the include depth of your header files as well as your file size.
- Use virtual declaration on all
subclass virtual member functions.
Non-portable example: class A {
virtual void foobar(char*);
};
class B : public A {
void foobar(char*);
};
Another drag. In the class declarations above,
A::foobar() is declared as virtual. C++ says that all
implementations of void foobar(char*) in subclasses will also
be virtual (once virtual, always virtual). This code is really fine, but
some compilers want the virtual declaration also used on overloaded
functions of the virtual in subclasses. If you don't do it, you get
warnings. While this is not a hard error, because this stuff tends to be
in headers files, you'll get so many warnings that's you'll go nuts.
Better to silence the compiler warnings, by including the virtual
declaration in the subclasses. It's also better documentation:
Portable example: class A {
virtual void foobar(char*);
};
class B : public A {
virtual void foobar(char*);
};
- Always declare a copy constructor and
assignment operator.
One feature of C++ that can be problematic is the use of copy
constructors. Because a class's copy constructor defines what it means
to pass and return objects by value (or if you prefer, pass by value
means call the copy constructor), it's important to get this right.
There are times when the compiler will silently generate a call to a
copy constructor, that maybe you do not want. For example, when a you
pass an object by value as a function parameter, a temporary copy is
made, which gets passed, then destroyed on return from the function.
Maybe you don't want this to happen, maybe you'd always like instances
of your class to be passed by reference. If you do not define a copy
constructor the C++ compiler will generate one for you (the default copy
constructor), and this automatically generated copy constructor might,
well, suck. So you have a situation where the compiler is going to
silently generate calls to a piece of code that might not be the
greatest code for the job (it may be wrong).
Ok, you say, "no problem, I know when I'm calling the copy
constructor, and I know I'm not doing it". But what about other people
using your class? The safe bet is to do one of two things: if you want
your class to support pass by value, then write a good copy constructor
for your class. If you see no reason to support pass by value on your
class, then you should explicitly prohibit this, don't let the
compiler's default copy constructor do it for you. The way to enforce
your policy is to declare the copy constructor as private, and not
supply a definition. While your at it, do the same for the assignment
operator used for assignment of objects of the same class. Example: class foo {
...
private:
// These are not supported
// and are not implemented!
foo(const foo& x);
foo& operator=(const foo& x);
};
When you do this, you ensure that code that implicitly calls the
copy constructor will not compile and link. That way nothing happens in
the dark. When a user's code won't compile, they'll see that they were
passing by value, when they meant to pass by reference (oops).
- Be careful of overloaded methods with like
signatures.
It's best to avoid overloading methods when the type signature of the
methods differs only by 1 "abstract" type (e.g. PR_Int32 or
int32). What you will find as you move that code to different
platforms, is suddenly on the Foo2000 compiler your overloaded methods
will have the same type-signature.
- Type scalar constants to avoid
unexpected ambiguities.
Non-portable code: class FooClass {
// having such similar signatures
// is a bad idea in the first place.
void doit(long);
void doit(short);
};
void
B::foo(FooClass* xyz)
{
xyz->doit(45);
}
Be sure to type your scalar constants, e.g., PR_INT32(10) or 10L.
Otherwise, you can produce ambiguous function calls which potentially
could resolve to multiple methods, particularly if you haven't followed
(2) above. Not all of the compilers will flag ambiguous method calls.
Portable code: class FooClass {
// having such similar signatures
// is a bad idea in the first place.
void doit(long);
void doit(short);
};
void
B::foo(FooClass* xyz)
{
xyz->doit(45L);
}
- Type scalar constants to avoid unexpected
ambiguities.
Some platforms (e.g. Linux) have native definitions of types like
Bool which sometimes conflict with definitions in XP code. Always use
PRBool (PR_TRUE, PR_FALSE) or XP_Bool (TRUE, FALSE).
- Use macros for C++ style casts.
Not all C++ compilers support C++ style casts:
static_cast<type>(expression) (C++ style)
(type) expression (C style)
The header nscore.h
defines portable cast macros that use C++ style casts on compilers that
support them, and regualar casts otherwise.
These macros are defined as follows:
#define NS_STATIC_CAST(__type, __ptr) static_cast<__type>(__ptr)
#define NS_CONST_CAST(__type, __ptr) const_cast<__type>(__ptr)
#define NS_REINTERPRET_CAST(__type, __ptr) reinterpret_cast<__type>(__ptr)
Note that the semantics of dynamic_cast cannot be
duplicated, so we dont use it. See Chris Waterson's detailed explanation
on why this is so.
Example:
Instead of:
foo_t * x = static_cast<foo_t *>(client_data);
bar_t * nonConstX = const_cast<bar_t *>(this);
You should use:
foo_t * x = NS_STATIC_CAST(foo_t *,client_data);
bar_t * nonConstX = NS_CONST_CAST(bar_t *,this);
- Don't use mutable.
Not all C++ compilers support the mutable keyword:
You'll have to use the "fake this" approach to cast away the
constness of a data member:
void MyClass::MyConstMethod() const
{
MyClass * fakeThis = NS_CONST_CAST(MyClass *,this);
// Treat mFoo as mutable
fakeThis->mFoo = 99;
}
- Use nsCOMPtr in XPCOM code.
Mozilla has recently adopted the use of nsCOMPtr
in XPCOM code.
See the nsCOMPtr User
Manual for usage details.
Stuff that is good to do for C or
C++.
- Always use the nspr types for intrinsic
types.
Always use the nspr types for intrinsic integer types. The only
exception to this rule is when writing machine dependent code that is
called from xp code. In this case you will probably need to bridge the
type systems and cast from an nspr type to a native type.
- Do not wrap include statements with
an #ifdef.
Do not wrap include statements with an #ifdef. The reason is
that when the symbol is not defined, other compiler symbols will not be
defined and it will be hard to test the code on all platforms. An
example of what not to do:
Bad code example: // don't do this
#ifdef X
#include "foo.h"
#endif
The exception to this rule is when you are including different
system files for different machines. In that case, you may need to have
a #ifdef SYSTEM_X include.
- #include statements
should include only simple filenames.
Non-portable example: #include "directory/filename.h"
Mac compilers handle #include path names in a different
manner to other systems. Consequently #include statements
should contain just simple file names. Change the directories that the
compiler searches to get the result you need, but if you follow the
Mozilla module and directory scheme, this should not be required.
Portable example: #include "filename.h"
- Macs complain about assignments
in boolean expressions.
Another example of code that will generate warnings on a Mac:
Generates warnings code: if ((a = b) == c) ...
Macs don't like assignments in if statements, even if you
properly wrap them in parentheses.
More portable example: a=b;
if (a == c) ...
- Every source file must have a
unique name.
Non-portable file tree: feature_x
private.h
x.cpp
feature_y
private.h
y.cpp
For Mac compilers, every has to have a unique name. Don't assume
that just because your file is only used locally that it's OK to use the
same name as a header file elsewhere. It's not ok. Every filename must
be different.
Portable file tree: feature_x
xprivate.h
x.cpp
feature_y
yprivate.h
y.cpp
- Use #if 0 rather than
comments to temporarily kill blocks of code.
Non-portable example: int
foo()
{
...
a = b + c;
/*
* Not doing this right now.
a += 87;
if (a > b) (* have to check for the
candy factor *)
c++;
*/
...
}
This is a bad idea, because you always end up wanting to kill code
blocks that include comments already. No, you can't rely on comments
nesting properly. That's far from portable. You have to do something
crazy like changing /**/ pairs to (**) pairs. You'll
forget. And don't try using #ifdef NOTUSED, the day you do
that, the next day someone will quietly start defining NOTUSED
somewhere. It's much better to block the code out with a #if
0, #endif pair, and a good comment at the top. Of
course, this kind of thing should always be a temporary thing, unless
the blocked out code fulfills some amazing documentation purpose.
Portable example: int
foo()
{
...
a = b + c;
#if 0
/* Not doing this right now. */
a += 87;
if (a > b) /* have to check for the
candy factor */
c++;
#endif
...
}
- Turn on warnings for your compiler, and
then write warning free code.
This might be the most important tip. Beware lenient compilers! What
generates a warning on one platform will generate errors on another.
Turn warnings on. Write warning free code. It's good for you.
Revision History.
Further reading:
Here are some books and pages which provide further good advice on
how to write portable C++ code.
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