#define mystery?

#define max(a, b) ((a) > (b) ?(a) : (b))
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int a =5; b=0;
cout<<max(++a, b);
}

Here a is incremented twice! Can somebody justify and explain why this happens in the case of preprocessor directive #define

Have u tried exec tis prog,
Its getting incremented only once....

yes. 'a' is incremented only once.

Its getting incremented once only!! try to execute it.

#include<iostream>
#define max(a,b) ((a) > (b) ?(a) : (b))
int a =5,b=0;
int main()
{
std::cout<<"\n"<<a<<max(++a,b);
return 0;
}

Now,its incrementing twice! Why ?

Hey i guess... every (a) is replaced as (++a).. so it wil get incremented once while checking and once when it gets to the true result...
so it gets incremented twice

@ Saradha! Yes, each a is replaced by ++a and hence getting incremented twice.But why is der a difference in the code I posted first and the one I posted later.They are identical, except for the placement of the macro! Why is there a difference ?

i am getting only single incrementation for both the codes u gave! i tried it using the gcc compiler in our unix login!
did u ppl tried using ECLIPSE?