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From: awd@dbase.UUCP (Alastair Dallas)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Enum vs Define
Message-ID: <196@dbase.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Jun-87 18:50:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: dbase.196
Posted: Fri Jun 19 18:50:38 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 22-Jun-87 06:36:45 EDT
Organization: Ashton Tate Development Center Glendale Cal.
Lines: 24
Keywords: enum, define

This may sound like a beginner's question, but I don't consider myself
a beginner:  Why use enum instead of #define?  For example, if I've
got an array of error message strings indexed with ERRMSGA, ERRMSGB
identifiers, isn't it more robust to explicitly define the values
(which must correspond to the array) than to let the compiler do it?
What are the tradeoffs involved between:

	enum {
		ERRMSGA = 1,
		ERRMSGB = 2
		};

and 

	#define ERRMSGA 1
	#define ERRMSGB 2

I'm asking because it's unusual to find two ways to do the same thing
that are effectively equal.  Any comments?

Alastair Dallas
ASHTON-TATE Glendale

These comments have nothing to do with my employer; I'm just curious.