C# Macro definitions in Preprocessor

Question

Is C# able to define macros as is done in the C programming language with pre-processor statements? I would like to simplify regular typing of certain repeating statements

Answer 1

There is no direct equivalent to C-style macros in C#, but inlined static methods - with or without #if/#elseif/#else pragmas - is the closest you can get:

        /// 

        /// Prints a message when in debug mode
        /// 
        [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
        public static unsafe void Log(object message) {
#if DEBUG
            Console.WriteLine(message);
#endif
        }

        /// 

        /// Prints a formatted message when in debug mode
        /// 
        /// A composite format string
        /// An array of objects to write using format
        [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
        public static unsafe void Log(string format, params object[] args) {
#if DEBUG
            Console.WriteLine(format, args);
#endif
        }

        /// 

        /// Computes the square of a number
        /// 
        /// The value
        /// x * x
        [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
        public static double Square(double x) {
            return x * x;
        }

        /// 

        /// Wipes a region of memory
        /// 
        /// The buffer
        [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
        public static unsafe void ClearBuffer(ref byte[] buffer) {
            ClearBuffer(ref buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
        }

        /// 

        /// Wipes a region of memory
        /// 
        /// The buffer
        /// Start index
        /// Number of bytes to clear
        [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
        public static unsafe void ClearBuffer(ref byte[] buffer, int offset, int length) {
            fixed(byte* ptrBuffer = &buffer[offset]) {
                for(int i = 0; i < length; ++i) {
                    *(ptrBuffer + i) = 0;
                }
            }
        }

This works perfectly as a macro, but comes with a little drawback: Methods marked as inlined will be copied to the reflection part of your assembly like any other "normal" method.