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### 1200. "surprising" `char_traits<T>::int_type` requirements

Section: 23.2.3 [char.traits.typedefs] Status: NAD Submitter: Sean Hunt Opened: 2009-09-03 Last modified: 2016-01-28

Priority: Not Prioritized

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Discussion:

The footnote for `int_type` in 23.2.3 [char.traits.typedefs] says that

> If `eof()` can be held in `char_type` then some iostreams implementations may give surprising results.

This implies that `int_type` should be a superset of `char_type`. However, the requirements for `char16_t` and `char32_t` define `int_type` to be equal to `int_least16_t` and `int_least32_t` respectively. `int_least16_t` is likely to be the same size as `char_16_t`, which may lead to surprising behavior, even if `eof()` is not a valid UTF-16 code unit. The standard should not prescribe surprising behavior, especially without saying what it is (it's apparently not undefined, just surprising). The same applies for 32-bit types.

I personally recommend that behavior be undefined if `eof()` is a member of `char_type`, and another type be chosen for `int_type` (my personal favorite has always been a `struct {bool eof; char_type c;}`). Alternatively, the exact results of such a situation should be defined, at least so far that I/O could be conducted on these types as long as the code units remain valid. Note that the argument that no one streams `char16_t` or `char32_t` is not really valid as it would be perfectly reasonable to use a `basic_stringstream` in conjunction with UTF character types.

[ 2009-10-28 Ganesh provides two possible resolutions and expresses a preference for the second: ]

> 1. Replace [char.traits.specializations.char16_t] para 3 with:

>    > The member `eof()` shall return an implementation-defined constant that cannot appear as a valid UTF-16 code unit `UINT_LEAST16_MAX` [Note: this value is guaranteed to be a permanently reserved UCS-2 code position if `UINT_LEAST16_MAX == 0xFFFF` and it's not a UCS-2 code position otherwise — end note].

>    Replace [char.traits.specializations.char32_t] para 3 with:

>    > The member `eof()` shall return an implementation-defined constant that cannot appear as a Unicode code point `UINT_LEAST32_MAX` [Note: this value is guaranteed to be a permanently reserved UCS-4 code position if `UINT_LEAST32_MAX == 0xFFFFFFFF` and it's not a UCS-4 code position otherwise — end note].

> 2. In [char.traits.specializations.char16_t], in the definition of `char_traits<char16_t>` replace the definition of nested typedef `int_type` with:

>    >     namespace std {
>    >       template<> struct char_traits<char16_t> {
>    >         typedef char16_t         char_type;
>    >         typedef uint_least16_t uint_fast16_t int_type;
>    >          ...

>    Replace [char.traits.specializations.char16_t] para 3 with:

>    > The member `eof()` shall return an implementation-defined constant that cannot appear as a valid UTF-16 code unit `UINT_FAST16_MAX` [Note: this value is guaranteed to be a permanently reserved UCS-2 code position if `UINT_FAST16_MAX == 0xFFFF` and it's not a UCS-2 code position otherwise — end note].

>    In [char.traits.specializations.char32_t], in the definition of `char_traits<char32_t>` replace the definition of nested typedef `int_type` with:

>    >     namespace std {
>    >       template<> struct char_traits<char32_t> {
>    >         typedef char32_t         char_type;
>    >         typedef uint_least32_t uint_fast32_t int_type;
>    >          ...

>    Replace [char.traits.specializations.char32_t] para 3 with:

>    > The member `eof()` shall return an implementation-defined constant that cannot appear as a Unicode code point `UINT_FAST32_MAX` [Note: this value is guaranteed to be a permanently reserved UCS-4 code position if `UINT_FAST32_MAX == 0xFFFFFFFF` and it's not a UCS-4 code position otherwise — end note].

[ 2010 Rapperswil: ]

> This seems an overspecification, and it is not clear what problem is being solved - these values can be used portably by using the named functions; there is no need for the value itself to be portable. Move to Tentatively NAD.

[ Moved to NAD at 2010-11 Batavia ]

Proposed resolution: