Re: printing size_t variables

[Mark D. Baushke]

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Eric Blake <address@hidden> writes:

> Should we have a gnulib module for *printf that
> allows us to use the POSIX-mandated
> printf("%zu", (size_t)1) modifier for size_t
> variables? Or what is the current recommended
> practice for printing size_t?

Hmmm... if a gnulib module for *printf were
created, it should probably implement the full
set of POSIX format and modifier characters.
For example,

    The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 6
    IEEE Std 1003.1, 2004 Edition
    http://www.opengroup.org/susv3xsh/printf.html

mentions a few modifiers that are not yet well
deployed on most boxes I use:

  j       Specifies that a following d, i, o, u, x,
          or X conversion specifier applies to an
          intmax_t or uintmax_t argument; or that a
          following n conversion specifier applies
          to a pointer to an intmax_t argument.
  
  z       Specifies that a following d, i, o, u, x,
          or X conversion specifier applies to a
          size_t or the corresponding signed integer
          type argument; or that a following n
          conversion specifier applies to a pointer
          to a signed integer type corresponding to
          a size_t argument.
  
  t       Specifies that a following d, i, o, u, x,
          or X conversion specifier applies to a
          ptrdiff_t or the corresponding unsigned
          type argument; or that a following n
          conversion specifier applies to a pointer
          to a ptrdiff_t argument.

I would not mind seeing both the j and z modifiers
generally implemented. However, as Bruno mentions,
this would likely be a fair amount of overhead just
for those few format characters. I think casting is
good enough for now.

        -- Mark
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