Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double)

From	James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c, comp.lang.c++
Subject	Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double)
Date	2012-02-13 16:26 -0500
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<4F398003.7090306@verizon.net> (permalink)
References	<2d5ceb71-98bb-440a-be68-69c4c736532a@s13g2000yqe.googlegroups.com> <0.dd7964018e37cc7552cc.20120213131604GMT.87k43q7u23.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <jhbk7k$t7k$1@news.albasani.net> <jhbunr$pi1$1@dont-email.me>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On 02/13/2012 04:18 PM, MikeWhy wrote:
> BGB wrote:
>> ... even though double has more bits than, say, an integer, does not
>> mean it will reliably encode an integer's value (it can do so in
>> theory, and will most often do so, but whether or not it will
>> actually always do so is more "up for grabs").
> 
> What circumstances are those? Integers hold integer values. AFAIK, all 
> integer values encode correctly in FP of higher precision. It's a simple 
> matter of normalization. (On Intel, a bit-scan operation.)

You've covered the correct point, but have apparently not realized that
it was relevant. He'd talking about converting an integer value to a
floating point type when the floating point type has insufficient
precision to encode the value correctly. This is less than clear,
because he's making all kinds of implementation-specific assumptions
about the sizes of various types, and (inconsistently) using 'integer'
as if it were synonymous with 'int'.

The key point is that, for instance, a 32-bit integer type can represent
values too large to be converted without loss of precision to a 32-bit
floating point type, because the floating point type uses some of those
bits for the exponent. The same thing applies to 64 bit integer types
and and 64 bit floating point types.

Thread

C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Alex Vinokur <alex.vinokur@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 04:41 -0800
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Leigh Johnston <leigh@i42.co.uk> - 2012-02-13 12:49 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Alex Vinokur <alex.vinokur@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 04:59 -0800
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Leigh Johnston <leigh@i42.co.uk> - 2012-02-13 13:07 +0000
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Goran <goran.pusic@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 04:54 -0800
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Alex Vinokur <alex.vinokur@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 05:00 -0800
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 13:27 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Goran <goran.pusic@gmail.com> - 2012-02-13 07:14 -0800
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 08:14 -0500
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 08:17 -0500
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-13 21:52 +0000
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 17:08 -0500
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 20:44 -0500
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 13:16 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 11:18 -0700
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-13 15:18 -0600
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 16:26 -0500
          Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-13 16:05 -0600
            Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 17:13 -0500
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 23:35 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 17:25 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 01:45 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 18:55 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 11:51 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 03:13 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 20:39 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 13:25 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 23:22 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 02:56 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 09:13 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 11:16 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 12:27 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2012-02-13 23:04 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 14:00 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 00:45 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 14:22 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 13:06 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 12:40 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 23:05 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-02-14 14:01 +0900
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-02-14 03:01 -0800
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Lowell Gilbert <lgusenet@be-well.ilk.org> - 2012-02-14 12:53 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-14 14:39 -0500
            Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) - 2012-02-14 20:45 +0000
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 22:57 +0000
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-02-14 15:38 -0800
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-15 00:22 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-15 00:39 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-15 08:00 +0000
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-13 22:00 +0000
        Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 17:04 -0700
          Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-02-13 16:15 -0800
          Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 00:46 +0000
            Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 18:31 -0700
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 18:41 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 02:33 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 20:20 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 03:26 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 20:49 -0700
              Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-14 00:24 -0600
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-13 23:42 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-14 06:48 -0500
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-02-14 13:51 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 08:42 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 19:58 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 14:27 +0000
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-14 09:10 -0700
                Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-02-14 20:02 +0000
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2012-02-13 15:22 +0100
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) legalize+jeeves@mail.xmission.com (Richard) - 2012-02-13 18:49 +0000
    Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-02-13 13:55 -0500
      Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-13 19:14 +0000
  Re: C/C++ pitfalls related to 64-bits (unsigned long & double) Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2012-02-13 12:14 -0800

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