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The C++ std::string class provides string::size_type as an integer datatype large enough to represent any possible string size.
The maximum value of an int is 2,147,483,647.
Meaning that if a line or page wont hold more than 2,147,483,647 characters
- which in normal cases never do - then you dont have to bother declaring string::size_type, you can just declare an int, which is much more simple.
Am i right or am i right? ;)
In theory, you don't have any knowledge about string::size_type, it could be a 16-bit integer, a 32-bit integer or a 64-bit integer [or a floating point variable for all you know].
The value is most likely compatible with an int, but the CORRECT thing to do is to always use the string::size_type. That is guaranteed to ALWAYS work. [Just be aware that if you change the STL implementation that you use for a particular software setup, you WILL need to recompile ALL of your code, or bad things may happen - but that's true even if you don't use string::size_type].
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Mats
Hmm i see. Thanks Matsp!
By the way, it's most likely an UNSIGNED integer, since it's very unlikely that the size of a string is negative.
Mixing unsigned and signed variables will sometimes cause a problem [usually when you are outside the range of either type, e.g. large unsigned numbers become negative, or negative numbers become large positive when translated from one to the other].
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Mats
It certainly won't be floating point. A size_type is guaranteed to be an unsigned integral type.Quote:
Originally Posted by matsp
Since you certainly won't have a negative number of characters, a signed number is kind of pointless since you're wasting half the range.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducky