Re: New VSI post on Youtube

On 2024-08-14, Arne Vajhøj <arne@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@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.