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### 398. effects of end-of-file on unformatted input functions

Section: 29.7.5.2.4 [ostream.sentry] Status: NAD Submitter: Martin Sebor Opened: 2003-01-05 Last modified: 2021-06-06

Priority: Not Prioritized

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Discussion:

While reviewing unformatted input member functions of istream for their behavior when they encounter end-of-file during input I found that the requirements vary, sometimes unexpectedly, and in more than one case even contradict established practice (GNU libstdc++ 3.2, IBM VAC++ 6.0, STLPort 4.5, SunPro 5.3, HP aCC 5.38, Rogue Wave libstd 3.1, and Classic Iostreams).

The following unformatted input member functions set eofbit if they encounter an end-of-file (this is the expected behavior, and also the behavior of all major implementations):

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        get (char_type*, streamsize, char_type);

Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        get (char_type*, streamsize);

Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        getline (char_type*, streamsize, char_type);

Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        getline (char_type*, streamsize);

Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        ignore (int, int_type);

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        read (char_type*, streamsize);

Also sets failbit if it encounters end-of-file.

        streamsize readsome (char_type*, streamsize);

The following unformated input member functions set failbit but not eofbit if they encounter an end-of-file (I find this odd since the functions make it impossible to distinguish a general failure from a failure due to end-of-file; the requirement is also in conflict with all major implementation which set both eofbit and failbit):

        int_type get();

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        get (char_type&);

These functions only set failbit of they extract no characters, otherwise they don't set any bits, even on failure (I find this inconsistency quite unexpected; the requirement is also in conflict with all major implementations which set eofbit whenever they encounter end-of-file):

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        get (basic_streambuf<charT, traits>&, char_type);

        basic_istream<charT, traits>&
        get (basic_streambuf<charT, traits>&);

This function sets no bits (all implementations except for STLport and Classic Iostreams set eofbit when they encounter end-of-file):

        int_type peek ();

Informally, what we want is a global statement of intent saying that eofbit gets set if we trip across EOF, and then we can take away the specific wording for individual functions. A full review is necessary. The wording currently in the standard is a mishmash, and changing it on an individual basis wouldn't make things better. Dietmar will do this work.

[ 2009-07 Frankfurt ]

> Moved to NAD. See 29.7.4.2 [istream] p3.

Proposed resolution: