The #line directive

A preprocessor line control directive supplies line numbers for compiler messages. It causes the compiler to view the line number of the next source line as the specified number.

#line directive syntax

In order for the compiler to produce meaningful references to line numbers in preprocessed source, the preprocessor inserts #line directives where necessary (for example, at the beginning and after the end of included text).

A file name specification enclosed in double quotation marks can follow the line number. If you specify a file name, the compiler views the next line as part of the specified file. If you do not specify a file name, the compiler views the next line as part of the current source file.

For z/OS® XL C/C++ compilers, the file_name should be:

A fully qualified sequential data set
A fully qualified PDS or PDSE member
A z/OS UNIX path name

The entire string is taken unchanged as the alternate source file name for the translation unit (for example, for use by the debugger). Consider if you are using it to redirect the debugger to source lines from this alternate file. In this case, you must ensure the file exists as specified and the line number on the #line directive matches the file contents. The compiler does not check this.

In all C and C++ implementations, the token sequence on a #line directive is subject to macro replacement. After macro replacement, the resulting character sequence must consist of a decimal constant, optionally followed by a file name enclosed in double quotation marks.

You can use #line control directives to make the compiler provide more meaningful error messages. The following example program uses #line control directives to give each function an easily recognizable line number:

CCNRABD

/**
 ** This example illustrates #line directives.
 **/

#include <stdio.h>
#define LINE200 200

int main(void)
{
   func_1();
   func_2();
}

#line 100
func_1()
{
   printf("Func_1 - the current line number is %d\n",__LINE__);
}

#line LINE200
func_2()
{
   printf("Func_2 - the current line number is %d\n",__LINE__);
}

This program produces the following output:

Func_1 - the current line number is 102
Func_2 - the current line number is 202

C++11 In C++11, the increased limit for #line directive from the C99 preprocessor are adopted to provide a common preprocessor interface for C and C++ compilers. The upper limit of #line <integer> preprocessor directives has been increased from 32,767 to 2,147,483,647 for the C++ preprocessor in conformance with the C99 preprocessor. For more information, see C99 preprocessor features adopted in C++11 (C++11). C++11