[vlc-devel] Macros & IDE

[Guy Paddock]

Quick question: why does the VLC source use macros so much? I mean, I
understand their use for ensuring unique function names in case
modules are compiled-in or built separately, but IMO they seem to be
overused. Personally, I like to avoid macros like the plague because
they're not context-safe, but that's just me.

And, as a follow-up to that one: is there a particular IDE the major
VLC developers use that can sort out all of the function references,
even through all those macros, so that it's easy to see how things are
put together, or is it something that I just have to learn in time by
reading through most of the code? I've tried using Eclipse CDT and
Visual Studio -- both were just about the same when it came to
resolving function references, though Visual Studio more often than
not sent me to the first function it found with the same name, which
wasn't helpful. Eclipse CDT tried to glean a lot from the Makefile and
from the compiler during the build to help it along, but it's a bitch
to setup for not that much in return at the moment.

If the majority of responses are for the cult classic of vim, I'll be
somewhat amused. :P