# Change in parsing macro since v4?

**URL:** <https://community.freefem.org/t/change-in-parsing-macro-since-v4/92>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [July 8, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/change-in-parsing-macro-since-v4/92 "2019-07-08T20:12:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![arousta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@arousta](https://community.freefem.org/u/arousta)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/change-in-parsing-macro-since-v4/92/1 "2019-07-08T20:12:53Z")

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> Blockquote  
> macro DEFArr(space)  
> real[int] space#Arr(space#.ndof); //  
> mesh Th = square(10,10,flags=3);  
> fespace Lh(Th,P0);  
> DEF(Lh)

The above code used to be fine on older versions. Now on v4.2 I get error:  
**2 : real[int] LhArr(Lhndof) The Identifier Lhndof does not exist**

But if I remoe the # before “.ndof” in the macro as

> Blockquote  
> macro DEFArr(space)  
> real[int] space#Arr(space.ndof); //

Then it correctly expands to **LhArr(Lh.ndof)** with the dot. Has this change been made since V4?

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**Author:** ![phtournier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@phtournier](https://community.freefem.org/u/phtournier)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.freefem.org/t/change-in-parsing-macro-since-v4/92/2 "2019-07-10T15:59:02Z")

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Hi,

thank you, this has now been [fixed](http://github.com/FreeFem/FreeFem-sources/commit/7a27218e6ee588a59ff9a7a696641a9737004adc) in the develop branch.  
However as you pointed out, the # is not needed when there is already a separator (the ‘.’ in your example): ‘space’ is identified as a macro parameter and replaced accordingly.