who decides the size of a data type?

[rao]

On some of the compilers integer size is 2 and on some other it is 4
bytes.
My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?
is it plainly the compiler?
Does OS or Processor also has any control in deciding the size of such
data types?

[Willem]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

rao wrote:
) On some of the compilers integer size is 2 and on some other it is 4
) bytes.

And on some, it is 8. And on very few others, it's another number.

) My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?

In India, do 'doubt' and 'question' translate to the same word ?
In any case, the right word to use in English is 'question'.

) is it plainly the compiler?
) Does OS or Processor also has any control in deciding the size of such
) data types?

Usually, the compiler decides the size, based on what the OS and/or
the processor have to offer. I think the C standard even strongly
suggests that 'int' be the size that is 'most natural' to the system.

However, it is ultimately the compiler that makes the decision.
For example, there are systems that have 'natural' 8-byte integers,
but a lot of C compilers still use 4-byte int types.


SaSW, Willem
--
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for any of the statements
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No I'm not paranoid. You all think I'm paranoid, don't you !
#EOT

[Gordon Burditt]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

>On some of the compilers integer size is 2 and on some other it is 4

>bytes.

There are other possibilities. Don't be surprised to see 8 in the
future. And 3 isn't impossible.

>My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?

The compiler writer. But some choices make his job easier than others.

>is it plainly the compiler?
>Does OS or Processor also has any control in deciding the size of such
>data types?

The choice is heavily influenced by such things as the size of
machine registers, the instruction set of the machine, and the
interface the OS provides. It is possible, for example, to provide
an integer of size 3 (3 11-bit characters) on an Intel x86 machine,
but the code will not be very efficient and it may be wasteful of
storage. You can emulate one machine on another, and generate code
for the emulated machine, but that's a lot of effort and no guarantee
of efficiency.

[santosh]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

rao wrote:

On some of the compilers integer size is 2 and on some other it is 4
bytes.
My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?
is it plainly the compiler?
Does OS or Processor also has any control in deciding the size of such
data types?

Generally both. Most compilers map C's numeric types to the underlying
hardware types in the most efficient manner possible. Usually the type
char is aliased to the machine's byte while the type int corresponds to
the native word of the processor. Other types may vary. Main concerns
for implementors are to avoid breaking existing code and to provide as
much efficiency as possible.

The Standard of course specifies the minimum ranges for these types
which every conforming compiler must adhere to.

[harsha]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

On Mar 16, 8:31 pm, Willem <wil...@stack.n lwrote:
<snip>

In India, do 'doubt' and 'question' translate to the same word ?
In any case, the right word to use in English is 'question'.

When in doubt, we ask a question.

[Wolfgang Draxinger]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

santosh wrote:

Usually the type char is aliased to the machine's
byte while the type int corresponds to the native word of the
processor.

Not to forget that some architectures provide special functions
to operate on strings, which have some constraints on the type
(like each element of a string being a byte of 8 bits). It makes
quite some sense if an C implementation uses this type then for
char.

Wolfgang Draxinger
--
E-Mail address works, Jabber: hexarith@jabber .org, ICQ: 134682867

[CBFalconer]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

Willem wrote:

rao wrote:
>

>On some of the compilers integer size is 2 and on some other it
>is 4 bytes.

>
And on some, it is 8. And on very few others, it's another number.
>

>My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?

>
In India, do 'doubt' and 'question' translate to the same word ?
In any case, the right word to use in English is 'question'.

No, Willem. The phrases "I have a doubt" and "my doubt" are quite
ordinary English usage. They are more popular in India than in
most other English speaking areas. I concede that many native
English speakers don't recognize that, but their ignorance is of no
concern. You, apparantly, are Dutch, and have no reason to
recognize the usage.

At any rate, apply my favorite exorcism. Sedulously eschew
obfuscation. :-)

--
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[page]: <http://cbfalconer.home .att.net>
Try the download section.



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[Keith Thompson]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

Willem <willem@stack.n lwrites:

rao wrote:

[...]

) My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?
>
In India, do 'doubt' and 'question' translate to the same word ?
In any case, the right word to use in English is 'question'.

[...]

In Indian English, "doubt" is often used as a synonym for "question".
In dialects of English outside India, "doubt" has a connotation of
disbelief.

Non-Indian readers need to understand this. Indian posters should, I
suggest, try to use the word "question" rather than "doubt" when
posting in international forums like this one to avoid confusion.

--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keit h) <kst-u@mib.org>
Nokia
"We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this."
-- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

[Richard Heathfield]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

Keith Thompson said:

<snip>

In Indian English, "doubt" is often used as a synonym for "question".
In dialects of English outside India, "doubt" has a connotation of
disbelief.
>
Non-Indian readers need to understand this.

No. If non-Indian readers /do/ understand, it's a bonus, but it is *not* a
requirement. A seeker after (effective) help cannot get that help if he or
she does not make himself or herself understood. Thus, it is in the
seeker's interest to use English in the canonical way.

<snip>

--
Richard Heathfield <http://www.cpax.org.uk >
Email: -http://www. +rjh@
Google users: <http://www.cpax.org.uk/prg/writings/googly.php>
"Usenet is a strange place" - dmr 29 July 1999

[William Ahern]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

Richard Heathfield <rjh@see.sig.in validwrote:

Keith Thompson said:

<snip>
>

In Indian English, "doubt" is often used as a synonym for "question".
In dialects of English outside India, "doubt" has a connotation of
disbelief.

Non-Indian readers need to understand this.

No. If non-Indian readers /do/ understand, it's a bonus, but it is *not* a
requirement. A seeker after (effective) help cannot get that help if he or
she does not make himself or herself understood. Thus, it is in the
seeker's interest to use English in the canonical way.

So, before a poster can seek help in mastering the C language, they should
first master Oxford English?

The OP's intended meaning was clear from the context, if not from a
reasonable interpretation of the word itself. This case is entirely
different from someone using l33t speak, which is intended to _exclude_
readers, and where it might be reasonable to take offence at the person's
presumed motivation or impoliteness.

[jacob navia]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

Keith Thompson wrote:

Willem <willem@stack.n lwrites:

>rao wrote:

[...]

>) My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?
>>
>In India, do 'doubt' and 'question' translate to the same word ?
>In any case, the right word to use in English is 'question'.

[...]
>
In Indian English, "doubt" is often used as a synonym for "question".
In dialects of English outside India, "doubt" has a connotation of
disbelief.
>
Non-Indian readers need to understand this. Indian posters should, I
suggest, try to use the word "question" rather than "doubt" when
posting in international forums like this one to avoid confusion.
>

Who cares about oxford english?

This is an international forum. It is enough that we have to use
english instead of a commonly recognized international language
like latin, french or esperanto

:-)



--
jacob navia
jacob at jacob point remcomp point fr
logiciels/informatique

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~lcc-win32

[Ian Collins]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

jacob navia wrote:

Keith Thompson wrote:

>Willem <willem@stack.n lwrites:

>>rao wrote:

>[...]

>>) My doubt is who decides the size of the integer?
>>>
>>In India, do 'doubt' and 'question' translate to the same word ?
>>In any case, the right word to use in English is 'question'.

>[...]
>>
>In Indian English, "doubt" is often used as a synonym for "question".
>In dialects of English outside India, "doubt" has a connotation of
>disbelief.
>>
>Non-Indian readers need to understand this. Indian posters should, I
>suggest, try to use the word "question" rather than "doubt" when
>posting in international forums like this one to avoid confusion.
>>

>
Who cares about oxford english?
>

The English inhabitants of Oxford?

--
Ian Collins.

[Richard Heathfield]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

jacob navia said:

<snip>

This is an international forum. It is enough that we have to use
english instead of a commonly recognized international language
like latin, french or esperanto
>
:-)

fr.comp.lang.c exists.

--
Richard Heathfield <http://www.cpax.org.uk >
Email: -http://www. +rjh@
Google users: <http://www.cpax.org.uk/prg/writings/googly.php>
"Usenet is a strange place" - dmr 29 July 1999

[jacob navia]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

Ian Collins wrote:

jacob navia wrote:

>Who cares about oxford english?
>>

The English inhabitants of Oxford?
>

They do not read comp.lang.c anyway.


--
jacob navia
jacob at jacob point remcomp point fr
logiciels/informatique

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~lcc-win32

[Chris Dollin]

Re: who decides the size of a data type?

jacob navia wrote:

Ian Collins wrote:

>jacob navia wrote:

>>Who cares about oxford english?
>>>

>The English inhabitants of Oxford?
>>

They do not read comp.lang.c anyway.

Why would my moving (back) to Oxford cause me to abandon this newsgroup?

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