PRE05-C. Understand macro replacement when concatenating tokens or performing stringification

It is necessary to understand how macro replacement works in C, particularly in the context of concatenating tokens using the ## operator and converting macro parameters to strings using the # operator.

Concatenating Tokens

The ## preprocessing operator is used to merge two tokens into one while expanding macros. This is called token pasting or token concatenation. When a macro is expanded, the two tokens on either side of each ## operator are combined into a single token, which replaces the ## and the two original tokens in the macro expansion [FSF 2005].

Token pasting is most useful when one or both of the tokens come from a macro argument. If either of the tokens next to an ## is a parameter name, it is replaced by its actual argument before ## executes. The actual argument is not macro expanded first.

Stringification

Parameters are not replaced inside string constants, but you can use the # preprocessing operator instead. When a macro parameter is used with a leading #, the preprocessor replaces it with the literal text of the actual argument, converted to a string constant [FSF 2005].

Noncompliant Code Example

The following definition for static_assert() from DCL03-C. Use a static assertion to test the value of a constant expression uses the JOIN() macro to concatenate the token assertion_failed_at_line_ with the value of __LINE__.

#define static_assert(e) \
  typedef char JOIN(assertion_failed_at_line_, __LINE__) \
    [(e) ? 1 : -1]

__LINE__ is a predefined macro names which expands to an integer constant representing the presumed line number of the current source line within the current source file [ISO/IEC 9899:2011].

If the intention is to expand the __LINE__ macro, which is likely the case here, the following definition for JOIN() is noncompliant:

#define JOIN(x, y) x ## y

Because the __LINE__ is not expanded, and the character array is subsequently named assertion_failed_at_line___LINE__.

Compliant Solution

To get the macro to expand, a second level of indirection is required, as shown by this compliant solution:

#define JOIN(x, y) JOIN_AGAIN(x, y)
#define JOIN_AGAIN(x, y) x ## y

JOIN(x, y) calls JOIN_AGAIN(x, y) so that, if x or y is a macro, it is expanded before the ## operator pastes them together.

Note also that macro parameters cannot be individually parenthesized when concatenating tokens using the ## operator, converting macro parameters to strings using the # operator, or concatenating adjacent string literals. This is an exception, PRE01-EX2, to PRE01-C. Use parentheses within macros around parameter names.

Noncompliant Code Example

This example is noncompliant if the programmer's intent is to expand the macro before stringification:

#define str(s) #s
#define foo 4

str(foo)

The macro invocation str(foo) expands to foo.

Compliant Solution

To stringify the result of expansion of a macro argument, you must use two levels of macros:

#define xstr(s) str(s)
#define str(s) #s
#define foo 4

The macro invocation xstr(foo) expands to 4. This is because s is stringified when it is used in str(), so it is not macro expanded first. However, s is an ordinary argument to xstr(), so it is completely macro expanded before xstr() is expanded. Consequently, by the time str() gets to its argument, it has already been macro expanded.

Risk Assessment

Automated Detection

Related Vulnerabilities

Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.

Related Guidelines

CERT C++ Secure Coding Standard: PRE05-CPP. Understand macro replacement when concatenating tokens or performing stringification

ISO/IEC 9899:2011 Section 6.10.3, "Macro replacement," Section 6.10.3.2, "The # operator," Section 6.10.3.3, "The ## operator," Section 6.10.3.4, "Rescanning and further replacement," and Section 6.10.8, "Predefined macro names"

Bibliography

[FSF 2005] Section 3.4, "Stringification" and Section 3.5, "Concatenation"
[Saks 2008]