This page is a snapshot from the LWG issues list, see the Library Active Issues List for more information and the meaning of C++11 status.

### 1171. duration types should be literal

Section: 29.5 [time.duration] Status: C++11 Submitter: Alisdair Meredith Opened: 2009-07-06 Last modified: 2016-01-28

Priority: Not Prioritized

View all other issues in [time.duration].

View all issues with C++11 status.

Discussion:

The `duration` types in 29.5 [time.duration] are exactly the sort of type that should be "literal types" in the new standard. Likewise, arithmetic operations on `duration`s should be declared `constexpr`.

[ 2009-09-21 Daniel adds: ]

> An alternative (and possibly preferable solution for potentially heap-allocating `big_int` representation types) would be to ask the core language to allow references to `const` literal types as feasible arguments for `constexpr` functions.

[ 2009-10-30 Alisdair adds: ]

> I suggest this issue moves from New to Open.

> Half of this issue was dealt with in paper n2994 on constexpr constructors.

> The other half (duration arithmetic) is on hold pending Core support for `const &` in `constexpr` functions.

[ 2010-03-15 Alisdair updated wording to be consistent with N3078. ]

[ 2010 Rapperswil: ]

> This issue was the motivation for Core adding the facility for `constexpr` functions to take parameters by `const &`. Move to Tentatively Ready.

[ Adopted at 2010-11 Batavia. ]

Proposed resolution:

Add `constexpr` to declaration of following functions and constructors:

Modify p1 29 [time], and the prototype definitions in 29.5.6 [time.duration.nonmember], 29.5.7 [time.duration.comparisons], and 29.5.8 [time.duration.cast]:

> Header `<chrono>` synopsis

>     // duration arithmetic
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        typename common_type<duration<Rep1, Period1>, duration<Rep2, Period2>>::type
>        constexpr operator+(const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        typename common_type<duration<Rep1, Period1>, duration<Rep2, Period2>>::type
>        constexpr operator-(const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period, class Rep2>
>        duration<typename common_type<Rep1, Rep2>::type, Period>
>        constexpr operator*(const duration<Rep1, Period>& d, const Rep2& s);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period, class Rep2>
>        duration<typename common_type<Rep1, Rep2>::type, Period>
>        constexpr operator*(const Rep1& s, const duration<Rep2, Period>& d);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period, class Rep2>
>        duration<typename common_type<Rep1, Rep2>::type, Period>
>        constexpr operator/(const duration<Rep1, Period>& d, const Rep2& s);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        typename common_type<Rep1, Rep2>::type
>        constexpr operator/(const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);

>     // duration comparisons
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        constexpr bool operator==(const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        constexpr bool operator!=(const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        constexpr bool operator< (const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        constexpr bool operator<=(const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        constexpr bool operator> (const duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);
>     template <class Rep1, class Period1, class Rep2, class Period2>
>        constexpr bool operator>=(const  duration<Rep1, Period1>& lhs, const duration<Rep2, Period2>& rhs);

>     // duration_cast
>     template <class ToDuration, class Rep, class Period>
>        constexpr ToDuration duration_cast(const duration<Rep, Period>& d);

Change 29.5 [time.duration]:

>     template <class Rep, class Period = ratio<1>>
>     class duration {
>       ...
>     public:
>       ...
>       constexpr duration(const duration&) = default;
>       ...

>     };

[ Note - this edit already seems assumed by definition of the duration static members `zero/min/max`. They cannot meaningfully be `constexpr` without this change. ]