error: expected an identifier

Question

I am trying to build my code but getting error in below lines in header file sample.h

 1   #ifndef FORMAT_STRING_H
 2   #define FORMAT_STRING_H
 3   
 4   #define FORMAT_STR( ovr, x, y, ... ) \
 5   { \
 6      char buf[100]; memset(buf, 0, 100);\
 7      using namespace std; \
 8      snprintf(buf, 99,  __VA_ARGS__); \
 9      ovr->drawStr( x, y, buf );\
 10  }
 11  #endif //FORMAT_STRING_H

and getting error at line 4 error: expected an identifier . I am not able to understand what is the problem exactly in mentioned line . I am using Ti DSP C6000 Code Generation Tools 7.3.0B3 compiler . Compiling C++ code .

[WorksForMe](http://coliru.stacked-crooked.com/a/50fb7b089b7cab0b)... You should provide a *complete* example so we can reproduce your problem. — Mankarse, May 20 '14 at 17:17
post the complete code, or a test case, as by just including this in a trivial `int main(){}` file won't generate any error (as there is no place in the code where the `#define`s will be replaced). — vsoftco, May 20 '14 at 17:17
It is a _very_ bad idea to put a `using` statement inside a macro that could be used without knowing about it. — Joachim Isaksson, May 20 '14 at 17:19
This problem is coming during code building ..I am also got confused as I am not using FORMAT_STR in my code base also .But as my code is directing the error to this line only "C:\WORK\samplecode\header\sample.h", line 4: error: expected an identifier — Ashwin, May 20 '14 at 17:22
If it's really necessary, to write such horrible macros: Are you sure to have anything included before `sample.h` that actually **declares** namespace `std`?? — πάντα ῥεῖ, May 20 '14 at 18:21

Vlad from Moscow · Answer 1 · 2014-05-20T17:35:40.973

3

It seems your compiler does not support a function-like macro with variable number of arguments.

It is very simple to check this. Write for example

#define FORMAT_STR( ovr, x, y, ... )\
{\
}

and do not call it in the code. If the compiler will issue the same error then indeed it does not support such macros.

edited May 20 '14 at 17:35

answered May 20 '14 at 17:22

Vlad from Moscow

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Seems to be correct, the [C6000 compiler](http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Overview_of_C%2B%2B_Support_in_TI_Compilers#Status_as_of_March_2014) does not support C++11, and [the C++03 standard does not support variadic macros](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4786649/are-variadic-macros-nonstandard). – Joachim Isaksson May 20 '14 at 17:35

error: expected an identifier

1 Answers1