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1. If a function defined as:

void test_function(unsigned int a)
{
}

Is "test_function(-256);" going to cause undefined behavior?

2. What's "a negative signed value wrapping"?

3. Is bit-shifting on a signed int undefined behavior? Why?

Thanks!

Aire wrote:
>
> 1. If a function defined as:
>
> void test_function(unsigned int a)
> {
> }
>
> Is "test_function(-256);" going to cause undefined behavior?

No.

> 2. What's "a negative signed value wrapping"?

An informal description of one common consequence
of the result of trying to compute or store a value
smaller than the smallest value representable in the
given signed integer type.

> 3. Is bit-shifting on a signed int undefined behavior? Why?

Yes under some circumstances; because the Standard
doesn't define it.


--

On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 17:36:02 GMT, "Aire" <> wrote in
comp.lang.c:

> 1. If a function defined as:
>
> void test_function(unsigned int a)
> {
> }
>
> Is "test_function(-256);" going to cause undefined behavior?

No, but it might cause unexpected errors in the function if such a
value is not valid and the function does not check for it. The value
-256 will be converted, as if by assignment, to an unsigned int to
pass to the function.

Assigning a negative value to a unsigned integer type can never
overflow and the result is always well-defined. In this case, the
unsigned int value passed will be UINT_MAX + 1 - 256. That's 65280
for typical 16 bit ints, or 4294967040 for typical 32 bit ints, but
other values are possible.

> 2. What's "a negative signed value wrapping"?

No such thing in C. Overflowing or underflowing a signed integer type
produces undefined behavior.

> 3. Is bit-shifting on a signed int undefined behavior? Why?

It is possible that some bit patterns, when interpreted as a signed
integer type, do not compose a valid value for that type. This is
called a trap representation, and dealing with such produces undefined
behavior. When shifting a signed integer, it is possible that a trap
representation may be produced.

Aside from that, it is implementation-defined whether right shifting a
signed integer type preserves the sign bit.

> Thanks!

--
Jack Klein
Home: http://JK-Technology.Com
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