In the UNIX V7 version of the C language, there were the /\ (min) and the \/ (max) operators. In the source of the scanner part of the compiler,
case BSLASH:
if (subseq('/', 0, 1))
return(MAX);
goto unkn;
case DIVIDE:
if (subseq('\\', 0, 1))
return(MIN);
...
However, attempting to use them reveals that the corresponding part in the code generator is missing. Trying to compile
foo(a, b) { return a \/ b; }
results in
1: No code table for op: \/
The scanner piece survived in the copies of the compiler for various systems for several years. I tried to look for copies of the code generator table which would contain an implementation, but failed. Has anyone ever seen a working MIN/MAX operator in K&R C?
Thanks,Leo