Self Describing Error Code Enum Macro (Or other status tracking variables) In C

self_describing_error_code_macros.c

/*
    Self Describing Error Code Enum Macro (Or other status tracking variables) In C
    Author: Brian Khuu (2024)

    This is an idea I got for easier management of error codes and other enums.
    The benefit of this approach is that it provides a way of having self
    documenting enumerated values which would be useful for debug loggers.

    Ergo, your debug log could print the meaning of an error or status message.
 */

#include <stdio.h>

// You would add new entries here
#define ERROR_ENUM_ENTRIES()\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST1, "Test 1",  "Error Description 1")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST2, "Test 2",  "Error Description 2")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST3, "Test 3",  "Error Description 3")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST4, "Test 4",  "Error Description 4")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST5, "Test 5",  "Error Description 5")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST6, "Test 6",  "Error Description 6")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST7, "Test 7",  "Error Description 7")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST8, "Test 8",  "Error Description 8")\
    ENUM_ENTRY(ERROR_CODE_TEST9, "Test 9",  "Error Description 9")\

// Enumerated List
#define ENUM_ENTRY(CODE, ...) CODE,
enum error_code
{
    ERROR_ENUM_ENTRIES()
    MAX
};
#undef ENUM_ENTRY

// Error code to string representation
#define ENUM_ENTRY(CODE, ...) case CODE: ret = #CODE; break;
const char * error_code_to_str(enum error_code code)
{
    char * ret = NULL;
    switch (code) 
    {
        ERROR_ENUM_ENTRIES()
        default:
            break;
    }
    return ret ? ret : "?";
};
#undef ENUM_ENTRY

// Error code to error name representation
#define ENUM_ENTRY(CODE, NAME, ...) case CODE: ret = NAME; break;
const char * error_code_name_to_str(enum error_code code)
{
    char * ret = NULL;
    switch (code) 
    {
        ERROR_ENUM_ENTRIES()
        default:
            break;
    }
    return ret ? ret : "?";
};
#undef ENUM_ENTRY

// Error code to description of error code meaning
#define ENUM_ENTRY(CODE, NAME, MSG, ...) case CODE: ret = MSG; break;
const char * error_code_description_to_str(enum error_code code)
{
    char * ret = NULL;
    switch (code) 
    {
        ERROR_ENUM_ENTRIES()
        default:
            break;
    }
    return ret ? ret : "?";
};
#undef ENUM_ENTRY

// Demo of this macro usage
int main(void) {
    for (enum error_code i = 0; i < MAX ; i++)
    {
        printf("%d | %s | %s | %s\n", i , error_code_to_str(i), error_code_name_to_str(i), error_code_description_to_str(i));
    }
}

/*
0 | ERROR_CODE_TEST1 | Test 1 | Error Description 1
1 | ERROR_CODE_TEST2 | Test 2 | Error Description 2
2 | ERROR_CODE_TEST3 | Test 3 | Error Description 3
3 | ERROR_CODE_TEST4 | Test 4 | Error Description 4
4 | ERROR_CODE_TEST5 | Test 5 | Error Description 5
5 | ERROR_CODE_TEST6 | Test 6 | Error Description 6
6 | ERROR_CODE_TEST7 | Test 7 | Error Description 7
7 | ERROR_CODE_TEST8 | Test 8 | Error Description 8
8 | ERROR_CODE_TEST9 | Test 9 | Error Description 9
 */

Made a second stab at this... https://gist.github.com/mofosyne/31ef53dbc4a53a114ef49e767e1cae98