__COUNTER__ is a non-standard compiler extension for the GNU compiler. Apparently, it's also implemented in Microsoft's compiler and the clang compiler. __COUNTER__ evaluates to an integer literal whose value is increased by one every time it is found in a source code text. int a = __COUNTER__; int b = __COUNTER__; int c = __COUNTER__;
#include "variables.h"
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("__COUNTER__=%d\n", __COUNTER__);
printf("a=%d, b=%d, c=%d\n", a, b, c);
}