Unravel the Mystery of Self-Aware Code

When it comes to C programming, there’s a fascinating phenomenon that can leave even the most seasoned developers scratching their heads. Imagine a program that can display its own source code – it’s like a magic trick, but with code! To crack this enigma, we’ll need to tap into the power of the C preprocessor and macros, as well as file handling.

The Secret Ingredient: _FILE_ Macro

The key to unlocking this puzzle lies in a predefined macro called FILE. This mysterious macro holds the name of the current input file, which is the file containing the source code we’re writing. By leveraging FILE, we can create a program that reads its own source code and displays it on the screen.

Crafting the Code

To bring this concept to life, we’ll need to write a C program that utilizes file handling to read the contents of the source file. Here’s a sample code snippet to get you started:
“`

include

int main() {
FILE *fp;
char str[1000];

fp = fopen(__FILE__, "r");
if (fp == NULL) {
    printf("Could not open file\n");
    return 1;
}

while (fgets(str, 1000, fp)!= NULL) {
    printf("%s", str);
}

fclose(fp);
return 0;

}
“`
The Magic Unfolds

When you compile and run this program, you’ll be amazed to see that it displays its own source code. But how does it work? The program uses the FILE macro to open the source file in read mode, and then reads the contents line by line using the fgets function. Finally, it prints the contents to the screen using printf.

Unleash the Power of Self-Aware Code

With this program, you’ve unlocked the secret to creating self-aware code that can display its own source code. This concept may seem complex at first, but by breaking it down into its constituent parts, we’ve revealed the simplicity behind the magic. So, go ahead and experiment with this code – who knows what other wonders you’ll discover?