Question

Take a look at this code:

#include <cassert>

#ifdef DEBUG
#define ASSERT(expr) assert(expr)
#else
#define ASSERT(expr)
#endif /* DEBUG */

The program will run only if I have DEBUG defined, otherwise it will hang and terminate with no results. I am using MinGW in Eclipse Indigo CDT. Advice is appreciated!

Answer 1

You are almost certainly abusing assertions. An assertion expression must never have side effects.

When you say, assert(initialize_critical_space_technology());, and then you omit this entire line in the release build, you can imagine for yourself what will happen.

The only safe and sane way to use assertions is on values:

const bool space_init = initialize_critical_space_technology();
assert(space_init);

Some people introduce a VERIFY macro for something that always executes the code:

#define VERIFY(x) (x)         // release
#define VERIFY(x) (assert(x)) // debug