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Groups > comp.lang.c > #2927

Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types

From Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types
Date 2011-04-26 08:52 -0700
Organization None to speak of
Message-ID <ln7hahypqf.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org> (permalink)
References (16 earlier) <rubrum-2758E7.11484825042011@news.albasani.net> <db2h88-t8c.ln1@jones.homeip.net> <lnr58qyns1.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org> <rubrum-F140C5.20322925042011@news.albasani.net> <lnfwp5yrfp.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org>

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Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> writes:
[...]
> int multiplication_would_overflow(int x, int y)
> {
>     /*
>      * TODO: Implement this.
>      */
>     return 0;
> }
[...]

I forgot to mention that, of course, it's entirely possible
to implement the multiplication_would_overflow() function in
portable C.  I think I've seen versions posted here (I'm just too
lazy to track them down or recreate them).  The point is that it's
very difficult to get it right (for example, INT_MIN * -1 overflows
on 2's-complement systems but not on others), and computationally
expensive, far more expensive than the multiplication itself.

On most CPUs, there's a way (which varies from one CPU to another)
to compute x * y safely and determine after the fact whether there
was an overflow, but C doesn't expose that.  There typically isn't
even a non-portable way to do overflow checking in C, unless you
resort to inline assembly.

Note that I'm talking about the way C is currently defined, not
arguing that it *should* be defined that way.  Personally, I'd like
to see something similar to C#'s "checked" keyword, which requires
overflow checking for an expression; the problem is that it depends
on C#'s exception mechanism, and adding exceptions to C seems to
be more than the committee is willing to do.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Nokia
"We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this."
    -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

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Thread

Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 14:21 +0100
  Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-20 09:49 -0400
    Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 15:21 +0100
    Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Peter Nilsson <airia@acay.com.au> - 2011-04-20 15:34 -0700
      Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-21 17:57 +0100
        Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-21 19:26 +0100
    Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-20 21:45 -0700
      Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 06:20 -0400
        Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 13:54 -0700
          Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 18:50 -0400
            Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 16:16 -0700
              Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 19:27 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 17:24 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-21 21:00 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-21 21:33 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-22 08:22 +0100
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 14:25 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-22 09:21 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 14:22 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-22 17:58 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 17:33 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-23 09:01 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-23 14:07 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-23 18:14 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:42 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-25 22:34 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types gordonb.nw63u@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-04-26 10:59 -0500
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "madamemandm@yahoo.com" <madamemandm@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-22 07:55 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-04-22 17:03 +0200
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-22 08:42 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 14:15 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-22 15:23 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-22 17:37 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-04-23 02:46 +0000
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-23 14:04 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2011-04-23 14:28 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:43 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-23 23:38 +0100
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:46 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-25 22:43 +0100
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-04-24 11:34 +0000
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:47 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-25 12:32 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 20:25 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 07:45 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types lawrence.jones@siemens.com - 2011-04-24 23:50 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-25 02:13 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-04-25 21:36 +1200
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:48 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types lawrence.jones@siemens.com - 2011-04-25 16:32 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-25 15:22 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 20:32 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-04-26 09:42 +0200
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-26 12:04 +0100
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 08:15 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-26 08:35 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 08:52 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-26 09:15 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-26 10:22 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types gordonb.s68qo@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-04-26 19:59 -0500
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "madamemandm@yahoo.com" <madamemandm@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-27 14:15 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-04-28 12:15 +0200
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-28 03:26 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-28 12:09 +0100
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-28 08:03 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-04-28 16:44 +0000
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Gordon Burditt <gordon@hammy.burditt.org> - 2011-04-29 05:42 -0500
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 20:27 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-04-26 15:30 +1200
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-26 00:14 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-04-26 20:23 +1200
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-26 04:17 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-04-22 06:46 +0000
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-04-22 09:37 -0400
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-04-25 11:49 -0700
              Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-22 09:09 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "madamemandm@yahoo.com" <madamemandm@yahoo.com> - 2011-04-22 09:46 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-22 20:21 +0100
  Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "Scott Fluhrer" <sfluhrer@ix.netcom.com> - 2011-04-20 10:06 -0400
    Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 15:28 +0100
      Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-04-20 16:11 +0100
      Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-04-20 08:14 -0700
        Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 16:24 +0100
          Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 17:09 +0100
            Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 17:19 +0100
              Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-20 12:09 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 21:39 +0100
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-20 15:01 -0700
                Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-21 11:16 +0100
      Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types "Scott Fluhrer" <sfluhrer@ix.netcom.com> - 2011-04-20 13:06 -0400
        Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-20 18:16 +0100
  Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types gordonb.bfd7y@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-04-21 11:22 -0500
    Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Thomas Scrace <tom@scrace.org> - 2011-04-21 19:27 +0100
      Re: Performance of signed vs unsigned types Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-04-21 12:09 -0700

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