C Macro for minimum of two numbers

Question

I want to make a simple macro with #define for returning the smaller of two numbers.

How can i do this in C ? Suggest some ideas, and see if you can make it more obfuscated too.

Answer 1

Typically:

#define min(a, b) (((a) < (b)) ? (a) : (b))

Be warned this evaluates the minimum twice, which was the reason for disaster in a recent question.

But why would you want to obfuscate it?

---

This one stores the result in a variable, and only evaluates each argument once. It's basically a poor-mans inline function + declaration:

#define min(t, x, a, b) \
            t x; \
            { \
                t _this_is_a_unique_name_dont_use_it_plz_0_ = a; \
                t _this_is_a_unique_name_dont_use_it_plz_1_ = b; \
                x = _this_is_a_unique_name_dont_use_it_plz_0_ < \  
                    _this_is_a_unique_name_dont_use_it_plz_1_ ? \
                    _this_is_a_unique_name_dont_use_it_plz_0_ : \  
                    _this_is_a_unique_name_dont_use_it_plz_1_ ; \
            }

Use it like:

min(int, x, 3, 4)
/* x is an int, equal to 3
  Just like doing:

  int x = min(3, 4);

  Without double evaluation.
*/

Answer 2

And, just for the hell of it, a GNU C example:

#define MAX(a,b) ({ \
    typeof(a) _a_temp_; \
    typeof(b) _b_temp_; \
    _a_temp_ = (a); \
    _b_temp_ = (b); \
    _a_temp_ = _a_temp_ < _b_temp_ ? _b_temp_ : _a_temp_; \
    })

It's not obfuscated, but I think this works for any type, in any context, on (almost, see comments) any arguments, etc; please correct if you can think of any counterexamples.