C# Macro definitions in Preprocessor

Is C# able to define macros as is done in the C programming language with pre-processor statements? I would like to simplify regular typing of certain repeating statements such as the following:

Console.WriteLine("foo");

Solution 1:

No, C# does not support preprocessor macros like C. Visual Studio on the other hand has snippets. Visual Studio's snippets are a feature of the IDE and are expanded in the editor rather than replaced in the code on compilation by a preprocessor.

Solution 2:

You can use a C preprocessor (like mcpp) and rig it into your .csproj file. Then you chnage "build action" on your source file from Compile to Preprocess or whatever you call it. Just add BeforBuild to your .csproj like this:

  <Target Name="BeforeBuild" Inputs="@(Preprocess)" Outputs="@(Preprocess->'%(Filename)_P.cs')">
<Exec Command="..\Bin\cpp.exe @(Preprocess) -P -o %(RelativeDir)%(Filename)_P.cs" />
<CreateItem Include="@(Preprocess->'%(RelativeDir)%(Filename)_P.cs')">
  <Output TaskParameter="Include" ItemName="Compile" />
</CreateItem>

You may have to manually change Compile to Preprocess on at least one file (in a text editor) - then the "Preprocess" option should be available for selection in Visual Studio.

I know that macros are heavily overused and misused but removing them completely is equally bad if not worse. A classic example of macro usage would be NotifyPropertyChanged. Every programmer who had to rewrite this code by hand thousands of times knows how painful it is without macros.

Solution 3:

I use this to avoid Console.WriteLine(...):

public static void Cout(this string str, params object[] args) { 
    Console.WriteLine(str, args);
}

and then you can use the following:

"line 1".Cout();
"This {0} is an {1}".Cout("sentence", "example");

it's concise and kindof funky.