Comparison of C/C++ and FreeBASIC
 

C/C++FreeBASIC


variable declaration
int a;
int a, b, c;
dim a as long
dim as long a, b, c


uninitialized variable
int a;dim a as long = any

zero-initialized variable
int a = 0;dim a as long

initialized variable
int a = 123;dim a as long = 123

array
int a[4];
a[0] = 1;
dim a(0 to 3) as long
a(0) = 1


pointer
int a;
int *p;
p = &a;
*p = 123;
dim a as long
dim p as long ptr
p = @a
*p = 123




structure, user-defined type
struct UDT {
int myfield;
}
type UDT
myfield as long
end type



typedef, type alias
typedef int myint;type myint as long

struct pointer
struct UDT x;
struct UDT *p;
p = &x;
p->myfield = 123;
dim x as UDT
dim p as UDT ptr
p = @x
p->myfield = 123




function declaration
int foo( void );declare function foo( ) as long

function body
int foo( void ) {
return 123;
}
function foo( ) as long
return 123
end function



sub declaration
void foo( void );declare sub foo( )

sub body
void foo( void ) {
}
sub foo( )
end sub


byval parameters
void foo( int param );
foo( a );
declare sub foo( byval param as long )
foo( a )


byval pointers to parameters
void foo( int *param );
foo( &a );
declare sub foo( byval param as long ptr )
foo( @a )


byref parameters
void foo( int& param );
foo( a );
declare sub foo( byref param as long )
foo( a )


statement separator
;

:
<end-of-line>


for loop
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
...
}
for i as long = 0 to 9
...
next



while loop
while (condition) {
...
}
while condition
...
wend



do-while loop
do {
...
} while (condition);
do
...
loop while condition



if block
if (condition) {
...
} else if (condition) {
...
} else {
...
}
if condition then
...
elseif condition then
...
else
...
end if







switch, select
switch (a) {
case 1:
...
break;
case 2:
case 3:
...
break;
default:
...
break;
}
select case a
case 1
...


case 2, 3
...

case else
...

end select












string literals, zstrings
char *s = "Hello!";
char s[] = "Hello!";
dim s as zstring ptr = @"Hello!"
dim s as zstring * 6+1 = "Hello!"


hello world
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("Hello!\n");
return 0;
}
print "Hello!"









comments
// foo
/* foo */
' foo
/' foo '/


compile-time checks
#if a
#elif b
#else
#endif
#if a
#elseif b
#else
#endif




compile-time target system checks
#ifdef _WIN32#ifdef __FB_WIN32__

module/header file names
foo.c, foo.hfoo.bas, foo.bi

typical compiler command to create an executable
gcc foo.c -o foofbc foo.bas




Last reviewed by MrSwiss on April 6, 2018 Note: changed Integer to Long (where needed)