How does the below program output `C89` when compiled in C89 mode and `C99` when compiled in C99 mode?

Question

I\'ve found this C program from the web:

#include 

int main(){

    printf(\"C%d\\n\",(int)(90-(-4.5//**/
    -4.5)));

    return 0;
}


        

Answer 1

the line comment // is introduced since C99. Therefore your code is equal to this in C89

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){

    printf("C%d\n",(int)(90-(-4.5/
-4.5)));

    return 0;
}
/* 90 - (-4.5 / -4.5) = 89 */

and equal to this in C99

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){

    printf("C%d\n",(int)(90-(-4.5
-4.5)));

    return 0;
}
/* 90 - (-4.5 - 4.5) = 99*/

Answer 2

Because // comments only exist in C99 and later standards, the code is equivalent to the following:

#include <stdio.h>

int main (void)
{
  int vers;

  #if   __STDC_VERSION__ >= 201112L
    vers = 99; // oops
  #elif __STDC_VERSION__ >= 199901L
    vers = 99;
  #else
    vers = 90;
  #endif

  printf("C%d", vers);

  return 0;
}

Correct code would be:

#include <stdio.h>

int main (void)
{
  int vers;

  #if   __STDC_VERSION__ >= 201112L
    vers = 11;
  #elif __STDC_VERSION__ >= 199901L
    vers = 99;
  #else
    vers = 90;
  #endif

  printf("C%d", vers);

  return 0;
}

Answer 3

C99 allows //-style comments, C89 does not. So, to translate:

C99:

 printf("C%d\n",(int)(90-(-4.5     /*Some  comment stuff*/
                         -4.5)));
// Outputs: 99

C89:

printf("C%d\n",(int)(90-(-4.5/      
                         -4.5)));
/* so  we get 90-1 or 89 */