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### 772. Impossible return clause in [string.conversions]

Section: 21.3.5 [string.conversions] Status: CD1 Submitter: Daniel Krügler Opened: 2008-01-13 Last modified: 2016-01-28

Priority: Not Prioritized

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Discussion:

The return clause 21.3.5 [string.conversions] paragraph 15 of the new `to_wstring` overloads says:

> Returns: each function returns a `wstring` object holding the character representation of the value of its argument that would be generated by calling `wsprintf(buf, fmt, val)` with a format specifier of `L"%lld"`, `L"%ulld"`, or `L"%f"`, respectively.

Problem is: There does not exist any `wsprintf` function in C99 (I checked the 2nd edition of ISO 9899, and the first and the second corrigenda from 2001-09-01 and 2004-11-15). What probably meant here is the function `swprintf` from `<wchar.h>/<cwchar>`, but this has the non-equivalent declaration:

>     int swprintf(wchar_t * restrict s, size_t n,
>     const wchar_t * restrict format, ...);

therefore the paragraph needs to mention the `size_t` parameter `n`.

Proposed resolution:

Change the current wording of 21.3.5 [string.conversions] p. 15 to:

> Returns: e Each function returns a `wstring` object holding the character representation of the value of its argument that would be generated by calling `wsswprintf(buf, bufsz, fmt, val)` with a format specifier `fmt` of `L"%lld"`, `L"%ulld"`, or `L"%f"`, respectively, where `buf` designates an internal character buffer of sufficient size `bufsz`.

[Hint to the editor: The resolution also adds to mention the name of the format specifier "fmt"]

I also would like to remark that the current wording of it's equivalent paragraph 7 should also mention the meaning of `buf` and `fmt`.

Change the current wording of 21.3.5 [string.conversions] p. 7 to:

> Returns: e Each function returns a string object holding the character representation of the value of its argument that would be generated by calling `sprintf(buf, fmt, val)` with a format specifier `fmt` of `"%lld"`, `"%ulld"`, or `"%f"`, respectively, where `buf` designates an internal character buffer of sufficient size.