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Is there a difference in the order of the comparison operator?
#define CONST_VALUE 5
int variable;
...
if ( variable == CONST_VALUE ) // Method 1
...
OR
if ( CONST_VALUE == variable ) // Method 2
...
Is this simply a matter of preference or is there a compelling reason for a particular comparison order?
732
no difference, it is an old habit to avoid if(a=5) in c/c++. These questions/answers are about the same: (0 == variable) or (null == obj): An outdated practice in C#?
A constant does not change its value over time. A variable, on the other hand, changes its value dependent on the equation. Constants are usually written in numbers. Variables are specially written in letters or symbols.
Long story short: CONSTs are handled by the compiler, where as #DEFINEs are handled by the pre-processor. The big advantage of const over #define is type checking. #defines can't be type checked, so this can cause problems when trying to determine the data type.
The const keyword allows a programmer to tell the compiler that a particular variable should not be modified after the initial assignment in its declaration.
The reason some people use method 2 is because you'll get a compiler error if you mistype a = in place of the ==.
However, you'll have people (like me) who will still use method 1 because they find it more readable and if there is an error, it will be detected during testing (or, in some cases, static analysis of the code).
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