Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB

From	James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB
Date	2012-12-12 15:57 -0500
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<50C8EFB3.90107@verizon.net> (permalink)
References	(1 earlier) <50C621F9.8050705@verizon.net> <ka59e6$mq7$1@dont-email.me> <ka5vq2$lq6$1@blue-new.rahul.net> <ka65o0$703$1@dont-email.me> <50C8DCC5.1020205@spamcop.net>

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On 12/12/2012 02:36 PM, Ken Brody wrote:
> On 12/10/2012 9:28 PM, James Kuyper wrote:
>> Context:
>>      char a[10];
>>      size_t i=20,j=15;
>>      *(a+i-j)=42;
>>
>> On 12/10/2012 07:46 PM, Edward A. Falk wrote:
>> ...
>>> Heh; learn something new every day.  I never would have guessed
>>> that there was an actual architecture that would blow up with
>>> this construct.
>>>
>>> I assume that *(a+(i-j)) would be ok?
>>
>> That should be safe for all conforming implementations of C.
> 
> Are you sure?  Does anything in the Standard *require* that "i-j" be 
> evaluated prior to adding it to "a"?

Yes, I'm sure; if you aren't, perhaps there's been a miscommunication of
some kind?

Check the grammar rules. The right operand of a binary '+' expression
must be a multiplicative-expression (6.5.6p1). '(' doesn't qualify;
neither does '(i', or '(i+' or '(i+j'; the only thing that can be parsed
as the right operand of the '+' operator in that expression is (i+j),
which parses as primary-expression (6.5.1p1), and therefore as a
postfix-expression (6.5.2p1), a unary-expression (6.5.3p1), a
cast-expression (6.5.4p1), and a multiplicative expression (6.5.5p1), in
that order.

For C99, I would have stopped the explanation at that point, considering
that my point had already been made. However, in order to support
multi-threaded code, C2011 had to be more explicit about when the order
of two events is specified, and when it isn't, so there's a couple of
additional citations that are relevant. I believe that what they say was
inherently true even in C99, where it was not explicitly said:

"The value computations of the operands of an operator
are sequenced before the value computation of the result of the
operator." 6.5p1.

"An evaluation A happens before an evaluation B if A is sequenced before
B." 5.1.2.4p9

> Haven't we had this discussion earlier, related to other forms of UB, with 
> the questioner asking if adding parentheses would "fix" the problem?

The problem with *(a+i-j) is that the standard mandates that 'i' be
added to 'a' before 'j' is subtracted from the result. Putting a
parenthesis around 'i - j' converts those three tokens into a single
primary-expression. That's why *(a+(i-j)) fixes the problem. It forces
the value computations for the subtraction expression to happen before
the value computations of the binary addition expression.

Kenneth gives i+(i++) as an example of a case where parentheses do
nothing to resolve the underlying problem. That is because the problem
is the absences of a sequence point separating 'i' from 'i++'.
Parenthesis do not insert a sequence point, and therefore do NOT solve
that problem.

Thread

Pointer Arithmetic & UB Edward Rutherford <edward.p.rutherford79@REMOVETHIS.gmail.com> - 2012-12-10 17:14 +0000
  Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB "christian.bau" <christian.bau@cbau.wanadoo.co.uk> - 2012-12-10 09:35 -0800
  Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-10 12:55 -0500
    Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-10 13:25 -0500
      Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB falk@rahul.net (Edward A. Falk) - 2012-12-11 00:46 +0000
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-10 21:28 -0500
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-12 14:36 -0500
            Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-12 20:35 +0000
            Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-12 15:57 -0500
            Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-12 16:02 -0500
              Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-12 16:13 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-12 21:18 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-12 22:42 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2012-12-17 12:04 +0200
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-17 08:47 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-12-17 14:58 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-17 10:59 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-12-17 17:26 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-12-17 19:33 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-20 11:00 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-20 10:03 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-12-20 22:02 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-21 13:09 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-21 22:40 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-21 23:39 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-22 06:50 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-22 00:15 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-22 10:34 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-22 09:32 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-23 09:38 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-23 09:55 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-26 13:35 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-27 09:03 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-27 21:31 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2012-12-28 01:55 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-29 13:43 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Philip Lantz <prl@canterey.us> - 2012-12-28 01:39 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-28 11:31 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-12-28 08:47 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-29 17:45 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-30 04:06 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2013-01-02 10:08 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-26 13:29 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-27 07:55 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-27 08:01 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-27 21:10 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-29 18:03 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-12-23 03:48 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-23 10:22 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-12-27 10:34 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-27 10:16 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2013-01-10 17:26 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-12-20 12:21 -0600
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-20 13:40 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-12-20 13:32 -0600
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-20 14:58 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-20 21:54 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Lanarcam <lanarcam1@yahoo.fr> - 2012-12-20 19:49 +0100
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2012-12-21 02:38 +0200
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-21 14:33 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-12-21 03:18 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-21 13:16 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-12-21 17:57 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-21 23:52 +0000
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-12-21 19:47 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-21 22:54 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-12-22 03:31 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-22 09:16 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2012-12-24 04:23 -0500
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-27 11:07 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-17 02:33 -0800
                Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-17 02:18 -0800
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2012-12-11 11:36 +0100
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB "christian.bau" <christian.bau@cbau.wanadoo.co.uk> - 2012-12-11 10:00 -0800
            Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2012-12-17 12:11 +0200
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-11 15:27 -0500
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-11 21:09 +0000
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-12 14:30 -0500
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-12-12 11:42 -0800
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-12 17:12 -0500
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2012-12-17 12:16 +0200
  Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Prathamesh Kulkarni <bilbotheelffriend@gmail.com> - 2012-12-10 12:04 -0800
    Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-10 15:29 -0500
      Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Prathamesh Kulkarni <bilbotheelffriend@gmail.com> - 2012-12-10 12:44 -0800
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Prathamesh Kulkarni <bilbotheelffriend@gmail.com> - 2012-12-10 12:47 -0800
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-12-10 16:02 -0500
            Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Prathamesh Kulkarni <bilbotheelffriend@gmail.com> - 2012-12-10 13:08 -0800
              Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-12 14:26 -0500
            Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Greg Martin <greg@softsprocket.com> - 2012-12-10 14:55 -0800
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Sjouke Burry <s@b> - 2012-12-10 21:18 +0000
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB falk@rahul.net (Edward A. Falk) - 2012-12-11 00:48 +0000
      Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-10 21:01 +0000
      Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Ken Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2012-12-12 14:24 -0500
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-12-12 14:34 -0600
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-12 20:45 +0000
          Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-12-12 15:29 -0600
            Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2012-12-13 02:02 +0000
        Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-12-17 05:57 -0800
    Re: Pointer Arithmetic & UB pete <pfiland@mindspring.com> - 2012-12-10 20:20 -0500

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