Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write

From	BartC <bc@freeuk.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write
Date	2016-09-19 12:46 +0100
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<nroj78$voo$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	(18 earlier) <e52a2d87-580e-4223-a258-3a002f972757@googlegroups.com> <lna8f5xigd.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <nrmjdv$j4t$1@dont-email.me> <ln60psyh1n.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <nro59m$ktj$1@dont-email.me>

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On 19/09/2016 08:49, David Brown wrote:

> No, 64-bit int is not a sensible idea (IMHO).  Extended integer types
> could solve some of the problems it would create, but at significant
> effort to toolchain authors, library writers (someone has to make a
> "printf" that supports the different sizes in some way), and significant
> inconvenience in data exchange.  It is data exchange (by network
> protocols, file formats, etc.) that drives the need for standardisation
> here.
>
> And what is to be gained with 64-bit int?  There is some hardware that
> can operate more efficiently on a 64-bit object than a 32-bit object -
> but such hardware is niche or obsolete (i.e., old Cray machines), and
> therefore excluded.  Is there any software benefit in having 64-bit int?
>  I think not - it is rare indeed that you actually need such a large
> integer type, and C already has perfectly good ones that you can use in
> that case (int64_t and long long int).

In my dynamic language I've made the integer type 64 bits only. That 
saved having to deal with combinations of 32 and 64 bits, but didn't use 
any more memory as the variant types always allowed for 64 bits anyway 
(for doubles and pointers for example).

(For compact, packed storage, such as C-compatible structs and arrays, 
it's possible to specifier narrower widths.)

But in the implementation, most int values are 32 bits. Including the 
lengths of lists, arrays and strings.

In C however you don't seem to have that choice if you want to make use 
of size_t for such lengths. On a 64-bit system size_t will itself be 64 
bits. It's bad enough that pointers will be 64 bits even though most of 
the time the entire task - code and data - can be addressed with 32 bits.

Anyway I agree that there is no real need for the default 'int' width 
for a language like C to be bigger than 32 bits. When needed, you 
specifically use something wider, although it would have been better if 
'long' was actually always wider than 'int', as it means using the 
unwieldy 'long long' instead, or int64_t.

-- 
bartc

Thread

Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-10 14:23 -0700
  Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2016-09-10 17:11 -0700
  Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-11 07:00 -0700
  Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2016-09-13 08:41 -0400
    Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-13 06:24 -0700
      Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-13 16:19 +0200
        Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-13 10:20 -0700
          Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-13 11:07 -0700
        Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-13 20:47 -0700
          Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-14 08:24 -0700
            Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-15 12:17 -0700
          Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-15 11:27 +0200
            Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 09:03 -0700
              Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 11:21 -0700
              Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-15 18:39 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 12:26 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-15 23:12 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 16:17 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 18:35 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-16 11:10 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-16 08:43 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-16 19:59 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-16 13:34 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-16 16:23 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-16 15:31 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-16 19:06 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-16 23:27 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-17 15:04 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-17 20:35 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-18 00:09 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-18 19:36 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-18 15:29 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-19 01:20 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-18 09:48 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-18 19:38 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-18 15:33 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-18 13:58 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-18 14:15 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-18 23:15 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-18 15:46 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-19 17:03 +1200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-19 07:40 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-19 10:54 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-19 10:51 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-19 22:03 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-19 15:44 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-20 09:02 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-19 21:12 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-19 15:58 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-19 09:49 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-19 02:37 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-19 13:20 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-19 06:22 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-19 12:46 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-19 16:20 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-19 07:32 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-19 11:26 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-19 09:10 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-19 09:33 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-19 11:54 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-19 22:14 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-19 22:12 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-19 14:32 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2016-09-19 22:58 -0500
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-20 09:45 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-20 07:49 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-20 19:43 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-20 11:15 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-19 22:36 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-22 21:30 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-22 23:58 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-23 19:45 +1200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-28 08:17 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-28 09:59 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-29 07:59 +1300
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ike Naar <ike@iceland.freeshell.org> - 2016-09-28 19:26 +0000
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-28 12:37 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-10-09 03:46 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-18 13:53 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-21 21:03 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-21 22:23 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-22 08:09 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-23 10:31 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-23 10:56 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-29 08:03 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-30 07:39 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-22 09:49 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-22 08:34 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-22 17:44 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Melzzzzz <Melzzzzz@zzzzz.com> - 2016-09-22 17:16 +0000
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-22 18:26 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Melzzzzz <Melzzzzz@zzzzz.com> - 2016-09-22 17:33 +0000
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-23 10:23 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-23 13:43 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-23 14:58 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-22 18:14 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-09-22 20:28 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-23 00:12 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-22 10:57 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-23 10:18 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-23 11:48 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-23 15:58 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-29 08:21 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-30 07:42 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-23 23:38 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-24 11:42 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-24 14:13 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-24 23:03 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-25 11:29 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 14:02 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-25 15:17 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 16:52 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 13:59 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-25 15:13 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 15:50 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-28 08:13 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-24 16:06 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-24 11:53 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-24 14:23 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 14:16 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-25 15:18 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-25 16:39 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-25 23:33 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-26 02:08 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-26 10:25 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-26 03:05 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-26 11:09 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write "Chris M. Thomasson" <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-09-26 09:29 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-26 17:37 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write "Chris M. Thomasson" <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2016-09-26 12:29 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-26 11:12 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-26 13:19 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-26 18:34 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ike Naar <ike@iceland.freeshell.org> - 2016-09-27 06:43 +0000
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-27 00:51 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-27 08:42 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-22 11:40 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-23 10:00 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-23 10:34 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-29 08:13 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-18 00:06 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-17 17:32 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-18 15:57 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-17 20:46 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-18 16:08 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-18 10:03 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-17 23:59 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-17 16:49 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-18 01:19 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-18 07:16 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-18 10:19 -0400
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-09-18 13:26 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-18 17:04 -0400
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-22 01:21 -0700
            Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-15 12:07 -0700
              Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-16 00:32 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 16:30 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 18:35 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-15 22:00 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 22:17 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-16 18:12 +1200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-16 00:46 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-16 10:23 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-16 10:59 +0100
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-16 04:13 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-16 08:58 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-16 10:16 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-16 09:11 -0700
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2016-09-16 20:14 +0200
                Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-16 20:37 -0700
      Re: Portable 16 bit binary integer write supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-13 07:47 -0700

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