RFC: C preprocessor extension: Multiline/block macro definition
Project / Subsystem
gcc / rfc
Date
2026-07-24
Proposer
NomagnoIsNotDead <alvarosaez316@gmail.com>
Source type
public_inbox
Consensus
Proposed
Sentiment
7/10
Technical tradeoffs
- • Adds a new directive, potentially increasing preprocessor complexity.
- • Improves ergonomics for writing multiline macros, avoiding backslash escapes.
- • Requires careful integration into existing preprocessor parsing logic.
All attributes
- project
- gcc
- subsystem
- rfc
- patch_id
- —
- discussion_id
- CALzUo856qtVxh8PobEG7Qkf8pp3JkxCeunx7ASbDkmKSeifxbg@mail.gmail.com
- source_type
- public_inbox
- title
- RFC: C preprocessor extension: Multiline/block macro definition
- headline
- RFC: C preprocessor extension: Multiline/block macro definition
- tldr
- Proposal for a new C preprocessor directive to define multiline macros without backslashes.
- proposer
- NomagnoIsNotDead <alvarosaez316@gmail.com>
- consensus
- Proposed
- outcome
- proposed
- sentiment_score
- 7
- technical_tradeoffs
-
- • Adds a new directive, potentially increasing preprocessor complexity.
- • Improves ergonomics for writing multiline macros, avoiding backslash escapes.
- • Requires careful integration into existing preprocessor parsing logic.
- series_id
- —
- series_role
- standalone
- series_parts
- []
- tags
-
- • preprocessor
- • extension
- • macros
- • ergonomics
- • RFC
- url
- https://inbox.sourceware.org/gcc/CALzUo856qtVxh8PobEG7Qkf8pp3JkxCeunx7ASbDkmKSeifxbg@mail.gmail.com
- bugzilla_url
- —
- date
- 2026-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
RFC: C preprocessor extension: Multiline/block macro definition
A proposal outlines a new GNU C preprocessor directive, #startdef/#enddef, to enable multiline macro definitions without requiring trailing backslashes. This ergonomic feature aims to simplify the writing of large, multi-line macros. The author has a prototype and seeks community feedback before developing a full implementation for libcpp, acknowledging the contribution guidelines for GCC frontends.