Standard Clarification

[Doug Gwyn]

In article <23218 at cup.portal.com> Tim_CDC_Roberts at cup.portal.com writes:
>    #define d define
>    #d a include
>Does the standard require that this construct should compile correctly?

No, it requires that a diagnostic be issued.

>Isn't the preprocessor legally and morally bound to recursively
>substitute macros, at least until a cycle is found?

Yes; I suspect in the case you reported the compiler failed to look
beyond the replacement buffer for the () necessary for the getchar()
expansion to be triggered.  That's a bug.