What does the \ symbol do in C++?

Question

I'm sorry it's such a stupid question, but special characters are so hard to search about on google.

I'm trying to understand this hacky looking code as so:

#define DEFUN(funcname, cmdname, cmdstr, helpstr) \
  static int funcname (struct cmd_element *, struct vty *, int, char **); \
  static struct cmd_element cmdname = \
  { \
    cmdstr, \
    funcname, \
    helpstr \
  }; \
  static int funcname \
  (struct cmd_element *self, struct vty *vty, int argc, char **argv)

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:06

1

It lets you continue your statement on the next line

See: What does a backslash in C++ mean?

edited May 23 '17 at 12:06

Community

1
1

answered Oct 26 '16 at 07:55

Henningsson

1,275
1
16
23

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 26 '16 at 07:55

1

In this context it specifies that the macro definition is continued on the next line. Without it, you'd have to write everything in a single line.

answered Oct 26 '16 at 07:55

StoryTeller - Unslander Monica

165,132
21
377
458

What does the \ symbol do in C++?

2 Answers2