Mail Archives: cygwin/1998/07/25/04:01:59
Larry Hall <lhall AT rfk DOT com> writes:
> At 01:48 PM 7/23/98 -0400, Timothy Writer wrote:
> >Furthermore, in section 6.1.2.5 the Standard states, "There are four signed
> >integer types, designated as signed char, short int, int, and long int." It
> >then goes on to say, "In the list of signed integer types above, the range of
> >values of each type is a subrange of the values of the next type in the
> >list."
> >
> >In other words,
> >
> > sizeof(char) <= sizeof(short) <= sizeof(int) <= sizeof(long)
> >
> >and
> >
> > sizeof(char) == 1
> > sizeof(short) >= 2
> > sizeof(int) >= 2
> > sizeof(long) >= 4
> >
>
> Sorry but this doesn't seem to follow. I agree with the interpretation of
> the standard, namely:
>
> sizeof(char) <= sizeof(short) <= sizeof(int) <= sizeof(long)
>
> However, this does NOT imply what follows (the sizeof lines after the "and".)
> The implication from the standard is:
>
> sizeof(char) <= sizeof(short) <= sizeof(int) <= sizeof(long)
>
> AND
>
> sizeof(char) == 1
> sizeof(short) >= 1
> sizeof(int) >= 1
> sizeof(long) >= 1
>
> which someone on this list pointed out previously. I think the key words
> here are that "the range of values of each type is a subrange of the values
> of the next type in the list." Are we getting a little too far off topic
> for this list?
This follows from the earlier section of the standard I posted which states
the minimum ranges for each type, namely -127 to +127 for signed char, -32767
to +32767 for signed short, etc. These imply that char is at least 8 bits,
short is at least 16 bits, and int and long are at least 32 bits. Assuming a
char is exacly eight bits (it's not clear to me whether the standard requires
that or not) it follows that:
sizeof(char) == 1
sizeof(short) >= 2
sizeof(int) >= 2
sizeof(long) >= 4
As to whether we're getting off topic. Clearly this group is about
portability and I was disturbed by the number of misinformed posters
spreading incorrect information about something so fundamental to porability.
--
Tim Writer Tim DOT Writer AT ftlsol DOT com
FTL Solutions Inc.
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
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