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Groups > comp.lang.c > #126898
| From | Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> |
|---|---|
| Newsgroups | comp.lang.c |
| Subject | Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? |
| Date | 2018-02-20 09:25 -0800 |
| Organization | None to speak of |
| Message-ID | <lnsh9vmv35.fsf@kst-u.example.com> (permalink) |
| References | (6 earlier) <fd094d02-819b-42f5-9f97-89587ef3bf00@googlegroups.com> <ln8tboo9an.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <b250f55e-7ce4-469c-961c-98d549f83abd@googlegroups.com> <p6glj4$jro$1@dont-email.me> <f5234659-1e2c-4e92-b16f-3068786a5f30@googlegroups.com> |
supercat@casperkitty.com writes:
[...]
> Which is more plausible:
>
> 1. When the authors said "conceptually" multiply, they were suggesting that
> on platforms with unusual addressing schemes, the method of computing
> addresses might not actual multiplication by the size of things. They
> thought the fact that the behavior should be defined the same way as
> existing implementations had been doing it was so obvious that they
> didn't need to waste ink saying so.
>
> 2. When the authors said "conceptually" mutltiply, they intended that
> programmers should only be able to rely upon a fraction of the cases
> where behavior had to date been defined by the extremely vast majority
> of implementations--including 100% of implementations that most people
> would ever encounter.
The context of the phrase '"conceptually" multiply' is a passage in the
C89/C90 standard discussing array indexing. Here it is (quoting from
ansi.c.txt, a pre-C89 draft), since you keep snipping it.
Example
Consider the array object defined by the declaration
int x[3][5];
Here x is a 3x5 array of int s; more precisely, x is an array of
three member objects, each of which is an array of five int s.
In the expression x[i] , which is equivalent to (*(x+(i))) ,
x is first converted to a pointer to the initial array of five
int s. Then i is adjusted according to the type of x , which
conceptually entails multiplying i by the size of the object to
which the pointer points, namely an array of five int objects.
The results are added and indirection is applied to yield
an array of five int s. When used in the expression x[i][j],
that in turn is converted to a pointer to the first of the
int s, so x[i][j] yields an int.
3. When the authors said "conceptually" multiply, they were giving an
informal statement (in a non-normative example) about how pointer
arithmetic works. The multiplication is not a C multiplication
operation. It's *conceptual*. This informal description does not
override the normative definition of pointer arithmetic, which does
not refer to multiplication.
> If the authors had intended to disallow behaviors that had been consistently
> processed by nearly all C implementations to date, can you think of any
> reason they didn't explicitly say so?
Since the behavior in question (evaluating, for example, x[1][7])
is undefined, no behavior is being disallowed. Any conforming
implementation is perfectly free to treat x[1][7] in exactly the
way you think it should.
Since the behavior of out-of-bounds array indexing is undefined,
implementations are permitted to perform bounds checking.
For example, an implementation might generate code that traps on
something like:
int arr[10];
arr[20] = 42;
I see nothing in C89/C90, in C99, or in C11 that would prevent an
implementation from trapping on:
int arr2[5][5];
arr2[1][7] = 42;
[snip]
--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Working, but not speaking, for JetHead Development, Inc.
"We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this."
-- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"
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Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? lee@ansync.com - 2018-02-15 17:20 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2018-02-15 22:15 -0500
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-16 08:44 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? jameskuyper@verizon.net - 2018-02-16 11:47 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-16 13:00 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-19 12:25 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-19 13:21 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Randy Howard <rhoward.mx@EverybodyUsesIt.com> - 2018-02-19 15:26 -0600
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-19 13:59 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-19 14:38 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-19 15:21 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-19 15:59 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-19 17:11 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-02-20 09:17 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-20 07:58 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-02-20 18:21 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-20 09:25 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-20 11:52 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-02-20 22:27 -0500
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-20 23:07 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Manfred <noname@invalid.add> - 2018-02-21 14:07 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-21 09:02 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-21 09:50 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-21 12:46 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-21 13:09 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-21 15:15 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-21 15:51 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-21 17:06 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-21 17:46 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-22 00:18 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-21 22:14 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-21 11:39 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-21 14:59 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-02-21 22:14 -0500
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-22 00:50 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-02-22 07:22 -0500
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-22 12:40 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-22 13:00 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-22 13:48 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-02-22 22:14 +0000
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-21 23:05 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-21 23:39 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-22 10:39 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-22 13:20 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? asetofsymbols@gmail.com - 2018-02-23 00:30 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Manfred <noname@invalid.add> - 2018-02-16 20:05 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? lee@ansync.com - 2018-02-16 11:14 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-19 11:30 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steve Carroll <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-01 09:01 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-19 11:08 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-19 17:16 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-21 23:16 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-22 00:25 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-02-22 07:41 -0500
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-02-24 13:24 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-25 12:07 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-02-25 18:34 -0500
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-26 08:21 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-02-26 22:22 -0500
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-02-27 09:16 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-27 08:48 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-02-28 10:24 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-28 09:03 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-02-28 22:31 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-28 15:19 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-03-01 12:37 +0100
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-03-01 11:03 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-03-01 11:22 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-01 11:48 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-01 15:11 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-01 16:14 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-01 19:53 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-01 21:27 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-02 00:52 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-02 01:54 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-03 06:11 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-03-01 12:31 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-03-01 13:15 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-01 14:55 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-03-03 02:19 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-03-03 03:03 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-02-25 15:36 -0800
Re: Opinion sought: Is this strictly conforming C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-02-26 10:17 -0800
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