[Info-vax] New VSI post on Youtube

[Simon Clubley]

On 2024-08-14, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
> On 8/14/2024 2:33 PM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> And it has different size of long and pointers. Causing problems
>> for two cases:
>> * code that make implicit assumptions that those are 32 bit
>> * mixing C and C++
>
> I am getting more and more convinced that C and C++
> code should completely switch to the explicit length
> model.
>
> So:
>
> #include <stdint.h>
>
> or:
>
> #include <cstdint>
>
> and use:
>
> int8_t
> int16_t
> int32_t
> int64_t
> uint8_t
> uint16_t
> uint32_t
> uint64_t
>
> and consider putting:
>
> #define int ">>>> DO NOT USE INT <<<<"
> #define short ">>>> DO NOT USE SHORT <<<<"
> #define long ">>>> DO NOT USE LONG <<<<"
>
> in as well to enforce.
>
> Where did I put that asbestos suit to protect me
> from the C/C++ crowd?
>

That works great until you need to interface to the OS unfortunately.

BTW, I've been writing my own code with explicit sizing for many years.

To extend this, I also know the difference between signed and unsigned
variables and I have a default-unsigned approach unless I absolutely
_need_ a signed variable.

Unfortunately, a lot of the material out there doesn't seem to understand
that designing a program is about modelling a real-world problem and that
it isn't OK to just use a signed integer to store an unsigned value.

Simon.

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.