C/C++ Control Structure Limitations?
- by STingRaySC
I have heard of a limitation in VC++ (not sure which version) on the number of nested if statements (somewhere in the ballpark of 300). The code was of the form:
if (a) ...
else if (b) ...
else if (c) ...
...
I was surprised to find out there is a limit to this sort of thing, and that the limit is so small. I'm not looking for comments about coding practice and why to avoid this sort of thing altogether.
Here's a list of things that I'd imagine could have some limitation:
Number of functions in a scope (global, class, or namespace).
Number of expressions in a single statement (e.g., compound conditionals).
Number of cases in a switch.
Number of parameters to a function.
Number of classes in a single hierarchy (either inheritance or containment).
What other control structures/language features have limits such as this? Do the language standards say anything about these limits (perhaps minimum requirements for an implementation)? Has anyone run into a particular language limitation like this with a particular compiler/implementation?
EDIT: Please note that the above form of if statements is indeed "nested." It is equivalent to:
if (a) { //...
}
else {
if (b) { //...
}
else {
if (c) { //...
}
else { //...
}
}
}
