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From: ron@topaz.rutgers.edu (Ron Natalie)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: Brain-dead Unix tutor needs quick help (-1)
Message-ID: <16588@topaz.rutgers.edu>
Date: Wed, 18-Nov-87 18:30:06 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.16588
Posted: Wed Nov 18 18:30:06 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Nov-87 10:36:49 EST
References: <387@cogen.UUCP>
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 19
Keywords: I used to know the reason

Why #define XXX	    (-1)


Consider
	i=XXX; ->	i=-1;

which should be the same even if it expanded, but nearly all compilers
support the "old fashioned assignment operator." or

	i = -XXX;  ->  i = --1;

which doesn't even compile.

Of couse nothing is foolproof...

	i = j XXX; would have been  j - 1
		not j(-1)

but people tend to use #defines interchangably with variables.