ISO/IEC JTC1 SC22 WG21 P0067R4
Group: Library Working Group
Jens Maurer <Jens.Maurer@gmx.net>
2016-07-11

P0067R4: Elementary string conversions, revision 4

Introduction

Following up on N4412 "Shortcomings of iostreams", this paper presents low-level, locale-independent functions for conversions between integers and strings and between floating-point numbers and strings.

Use cases include the increasing number of text-based interchange formats such as JSON or XML that do not require internationalization support, but do require high throughput when produced by a server.

There are a lot of existing functions in C++ to perform such conversions, but none offers a high-performance solution. At a minimum, an implementation by an ordinary user of the language using an elementary textbook algorithm should not be able to outperform a quality standard library implementation. The requirements are thus:

For floating-point numbers, there should be a facility to output a floating-point number with a minimum number of decimal digits where input from the digits is guaranteed to reproduce the original floating-point value.

The deliberations in the Kona LEWG sessions resulted in the following comments:

Changes

Compared to P0067R3 (blue text)

Compared to P0067R2

Compared to P0067R1

Compared to P0067R0

Existing approaches

C++ already provides at least the facilities in the following table, each with shortcomings highlighted in the second column.

facility shortcomings
sprintf format string, locale, buffer overrun
snprintf format string, locale
sscanf format string, locale
atol locale, does not signal errors
strtol locale, ignores whitespace and 0x prefix
strstream locale, ignores whitespace
stringstream locale, ignores whitespace, memory allocation
num_put / num_get facets locale, virtual function
to_string locale, memory allocation
stoi etc. locale, memory allocation, ignores whitespace and 0x prefix, exception on error

As a rough performance comparison, the following simple numeric formatting task was implemented: Output the integer numbers 0 ... 1 million, separated by a single space character, into a contiguous array buffer of 10 MB. This task was executed 10 times. The execution environment was gcc 4.9 on Intel Core i5 M450.

strstream 864 ms uses std::strstream with application-provided buffer
streambuf 540 ms uses simple custom streambuf with std::num_put<> facet
direct 285 ms open-coded "divide by 10" algorithm, using the interface described below
fixed-point 125 ms fixed-point algorithm found in an older AMD optimization guide, using the interface described below

There are various approaches for even more efficient algorithms; see, for example, https://gist.github.com/anonymous/7700052 .

Interface discussion

The following discussion assumes that a common interface style should be established that covers (built-in) integer and floating-point types. The type T designates such an arithmetic type. Note that given these restrictions, output of T to a string has a small maximum length in all cases. The styles for input vs. output will differ due to the differing functionality.

The fundamental interface for a string is that it is caller-allocated, contiguous in memory, and not necessarily 0-terminated. That means, it can be represented by a range [first,last) where first and last are of type char *.

Given this framework, the following subsections discuss various specific interface styles for both output and input. In each case, the signature of an integer output or input function is shown. Criteria for comparison include impact on compiler optimizations, indication of output buffer overflow, and composability (as a measure of ease-of-use).

Output

This subsection discusses various specific interface styles for output. In each case, the signature of an integer output function is shown. There is one failure mode for output: overflow of the provided output buffer. Criteria for comparison include impact on compiler optimizations, indication of output buffer overflow, and composability (as a measure of ease-of-use). For exposition of the latter, consecutive output of two numbers is shown, without any separator.

Conceptually, an output function has four parameters and two results. The parameters are the first and last pointers of the buffer, the value, and the desired base. The results are the updated first pointer and an overflow indication.

Feature set of printf / strtol for integers

base 2...36overload provided
uppercase for base > 10not supported

Feature set of printf / strtod for floating-point

The following table lists the format specifiers of fprintf relevant to floating-point in C11 and the disposition in the context of the functionality proposed in this paper.

field widthnot supported
precision (number of digits after the decimal-point)overload provided
+ mandatory signnot supported
space prefixnot supported
# mandatory decimal pointnot supported
0 pad with zeroesnot supported
L long double argumentoverload provided
f fixed-precision lowercase conversionoverload provided
F fixed-precision uppercase conversionnot provided
e scientific lowercase conversionoverload provided
E scientific uppercase conversionnot provided
g switch between f and eoverload provided
G switch between F and Enot provided
a hexadecimal lowercase conversionoverload provided
A hexadecimal uppercase conversionnot provided

Iterator

  char * to_chars(char * first, char * last, T value, int base = 10);

This interface style returns the updated first pointer. That is, the resulting string is in [first, return-value) and [return-value, last) is unused space in the string. Such an interface style is used for many standard library algorithms, e.g. find [alg.find]. All parameters are passed by value which helps the optimizer. Overflow is indicated by return-value == last. The situation that the output exactly fits into the provided buffer cannot be distinguished from overflow. Two consecutive outputs can be produced trivially using:

  p = to_chars(p, last, value1);
  p = to_chars(p, last, value2);

Iterator with in-situ update

  void to_chars(char *& first, char * last, T value, int base = 10);

This interface style updates the first pointer in place. That is, the resulting string is in [old-first, first) and [first,last) is unused space in the string. Aliasing rules allow that updates to first change the data where first points. To avoid redundant updates, the implementation can copy first to a local variable. Overflow is indicated by first reaching last. The situation that the output exactly fits into the provided buffer cannot be distinguished from overflow. Two consecutive outputs can be produced trivially using:

  to_chars(p, last, value1);
  to_chars(p, last, value2);

string_view

  void to_chars(std::string_view& s, T value, int base = 10);
This interface style groups the first and last pointers into a string_view which is updated in-place. Comments on "iterator with in-situ update" apply analogously.

Iterator with in-situ update and overflow indication

Adding a boolean return value allows to indicate overflow:
  bool to_chars(char *& first, char * last, T value, int base = 10);
Comments on "iterator with in-situ update" apply analogously, except that the return value indicates whether overflow occurred.

snprintf

  int to_chars(char * first, char * last, T value, int base = 10);
This interface style always returns the number of characters required to output T, regardless of whether sufficient space was provided. That is, an overflow occurred if the return value is larger than last-first, otherwise the resulting string is in [first, first + return-value). Such an interface style is used for snprintf, except that the proposed function never 0-terminates the output. All parameters are passed by value which helps the optimizer. Overflow is indicated by a return value strictly larger than the distance between first and last. Computing the amount of overflow is helpful to allocate a larger buffer, but, in general, requires switching from the fast path, because no further characters may be stored. The elementary functions discussed in this paper all have (statically computable) limited maximum output size, so the benefit of returning the exact size is small. Two consecutive outputs require attention at the caller site to avoid buffer overflow:
  int n = 0;
  n += to_chars(first, last, value1);
  n += to_chars(first + std::min(n, last-first), last, value2);

Kona consensus

  struct to_chars_result {
    char* ptr;
    bool overflow;
    operator tuple<char *, bool>() const;
  };
  char* get<0>(const to_chars_result&);   // for tie()
  bool get<1>(const to_chars_result&);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, T value, int base = 10);
This interface style returns a named pair with the updated first pointer. All parameters are passed by value which helps the optimizer. Overflow is indicated by a separate overflow indicator in the return value. Two consecutive outputs can be produced easily using:
  to_chars_result result = to_chars(p, last, value1);
  result = to_chars(result.ptr, last, value2);

Input

An input function conceptually operates in two steps: First, it consumes characters from the input string matching a pattern until the first non-matching character or the last of the string is encountered. Second, the matched characters are translated into a value of type T. There are two failure modes: no characters match, or the pattern translates to a value that is not in the range representable by T.

Conceptually, an input function has three parameters and three results. The parameters are the first and last pointers of the string and the desired base. The results are the updated first pointer, a std::error_code and the parsed value.

This subsection discusses various specific interface styles for input. Failure is indicated by std::error_code with the appropriate value. In each case, the signature of an integer input function is shown. Criteria for comparison include impact on compiler optimizations and composability (as a measure of ease-of-use). For exposition of the latter, parsing of two consecutive values is shown, without skipping of any separator.

Iterator

  const char * from_chars(const char * first, const char * last, T& value, std::error_code& ec, int base = 10);
This interface style returns the updated first pointer. That is, the returned pointer points to the first character not matching the pattern. Such an interface style is used for many standard library algorithms. Two consecutive inputs can be performed like this:
  T value1, value2;
  std::error_code ec;
  p = from_chars(p, last, value1, ec);
  if (ec)
    /* parse error */;
  p = from_chars(p, last, value2, ec);
  if (ec)
    /* parse error */;

Iterator with in-situ update

  void from_chars(const char *& first, const char * last, T& value, std::error_code& ec, int base = 10);
This interface style updates the first pointer in place. Two consecutive inputs can be performed like this:
  T value1, value2;
  std::error_code ec;
  from_chars(p, last, value1, ec);
  if (ec)
    /* parse error */;
  from_chars(p, last, value2, ec);
  if (ec)
    /* parse error */;

Iterator with in-situ update and error return

  std::error_code from_chars(const char *& first, const char * last, T& value, int base = 10);
Returning the error code allows for more compact code at the call site:
  T value1, value2;
  if (std::error_code ec = from_chars(p, last, value1))
    /* parse error */;
  if (std::error_code ec = from_chars(p, last, value2))
    /* parse error */;

Return a std::pair or std::tuple

Two of the three results of an input function could be represented by a pair. All three results could be represented by a tuple. However, experience with std::map shows that the naming of the parts (first and second) carries no semantic meaning which would help reading the resulting code. If the result value moves to the return value, its type T needs to be passed explicitly (e.g. as a template parameter). The composition example would be:
  std::pair<T, std::error_code> res;
  res = from_chars<T>(p, last);
  if (res.second)
    /* parse error */;
  T value1 = res.first;
  res = from_chars<T>(p, last);
  if (res.second)
    /* parse error */;
  T value2 = res.second;

Kona consensus

  struct from_chars_result {
    const char* ptr;
    error_code ec;
  };
  const char * get<0>(const from_chars_result&); // for tie()
  error_code get<1>(const from_chars_result&);
  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, T& value, int base = 10);
This interface style returns the updated first pointer and an error code. All parameters, except for the parsed value, are passed by value, which helps the optimizer. Two consecutive inputs can be performed like this:
  T value1, value2;
  from_chars_result result = from_chars(p, last, value1);
  if (result.ec)
    /* parse error */
  result = from_chars(result.ptr, last, value2);
  if (result.ec)
    /* parse error */

Naming

The LEWG deliberations in Kona expressed the following naming preferences (sorted by number of votes).

to_text9
to_chars9
to_digits7
to_characters7
to_printable6
to_ascii3
to_string3
to_output1
[de]serialize1
[un]marshal1
[de]stringify1

Given the tie in the first place and the author's personal preference for to_chars, this paper proposes to_chars for the output function and from_chars for the input (parse) function.

Cost of runtime parameter for base vs. separate overloads

The alternatives are
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, T value, int base = 10);
vs.
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, T value);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, T value, int base);
The difference is almost a quality-of-implementation issue, except that the standard gives appropriate liberty only for member functions, not for non-member functions (17.6.5.5 [member.functions]). The former can be implemented like this:
  inline to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, T value, int base = 10)
  {
    if (base == 10)
      return to_chars2(first, last, value);
    else
      return to_chars2(first, last, value, base);
  }

Other than a slightly increased burden on the inlining and constant propagation capabilities of the compiler, the two signatures are thus identical in performance. I have analyzed similar cases in the past and can confirm that the inline function essentially vanishes for optimized compiles. Personally, I would prefer to give an implementation latitude to switch between the two interface styles as it sees fit, but that is a question that should be discussed in a wider context, independent of the present paper. A similar argument applies to the question of overhead for base = 16, where a very efficient implementation using SIMD vector instructions is possible.

Minor concerns

Wording

20.2 Header <utility> synopsis [utility]

Add the following to 20.2 [utility]:
namespace std {
  struct to_chars_result {
    char* ptr;
    bool overflow;
  };

  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, see below value, int base = 10);

  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, float       value, bool hex = false);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, double      value, bool hex = false);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, long double value, bool hex = false);

  
  enum class chars_format {
    scientific = unspecified,
    fixed = unspecified,
    hex = unspecified,
    general = fixed | scientific
  };

  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, float       value, chars_format fmt, int precision = 6);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, double      value, chars_format fmt, int precision = 6);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, long double value, chars_format fmt, int precision = 6);


  struct from_chars_result {
    const char* ptr;
    error_code ec;
  };

  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, see below& value, int base = 10);  

  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, float& value, chars_format fmt = chars_format::general);  
  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, double& value, chars_format fmt = chars_format::general);  
  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, long double& value,  chars_format fmt = chars_format::general);  
}
The type chars_format is a bitmask type (17.5.2.1.3 [bitmask.types]) with elements scientific, fixed, and hex.

For the to_chars function taking a parameter base, the implementation shall provide overloads for all signed and unsigned integer types and char as the type of the parameter value. For the from_chars function taking a parameter base, the implementation shall provide overloads for all signed and unsigned integer types and char as the referenced type of the parameter value.

20.2.7 Output functions

All functions named to_chars convert value into a character string by successively filling the range [first, last). If the member overflow of the return value is false, the conversion was successful and the member ptr is the one-past-the-end pointer of the characters written. Otherwise, the member ptr has the value last and the contents of the range [first, last) are unspecified.

  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, T value, int base = 10);
Requires: base has a value between 2 and 36 (inclusive).

Effects: The value of value is converted to a string of digits in the given base (with no redundant leading zeroes). Digits in the range 10..35 (inclusive) are represented as lowercase characters a..z. If value is less than zero, the representation starts with a minus sign.

Throws: Nothing.

  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, float       value, bool hex = false);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, double      value, bool hex = false);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, long double value, bool hex = false);
Effects: value is converted to a string as-if by printf in the "C" locale (see ISO C 7.19.6.1). If hex is true, the conversion specifier is a (without leading "0x"); otherwise the conversion specifier is f or e. In either case, the representation is such that there is at least one digit before the radix point (if present) and the representation requires a minimal number of characters, yet parsing the representation using the corresponding from_chars function recovers value exactly. [ Note: This guarantee applies only if to_chars and from_chars are executed on the same implementation. ]

Throws: Nothing.

  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, float       value, chars_format fmt, int precision = 6);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, double      value, chars_format fmt, int precision = 6);
  to_chars_result to_chars(char* first, char* last, long double value, chars_format fmt, int precision = 6);
Requires: fmt has the value of one of the enumerators of chars_format.

Effects: value is converted to a string as-if by printf in the "C" locale with the given precision (see ISO C 7.19.6.1). The conversion specifier is f if fmt is chars_format::fixed, e if fmt is chars_format::scientific, a (without leading "0x" in the result) if fmt is chars_format::hex, and g if fmt is chars_format::general.

Throws: Nothing.

20.2.8 Input functions

All functions named from_chars analyze the string [first,last) for a pattern. If no characters match the pattern, value is unmodified, the member ptr of the return value is first and the member ec is equal to errc::invalid_argument. Otherwise, the characters matching the pattern are interpreted as a representation of a value of type T. The member ptr of the return value points to the first character not matching the pattern, or has the value last if all characters match. If the parsed value is not in the range representable by the type of value, value is unmodified and the member ec of the return value is equal to errc::result_out_of_range. Otherwise, value is set to the parsed value and the member ec is set such that the conversion to bool yields false.
  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, T& value, int base = 10);  
Requires: base has a value between 2 and 36 (inclusive).

Effects: The pattern is the expected form of the subject sequence for the given non-zero base, as described for strtol in ISO C 7.20.1.4, except that no "0x" or "0X" prefix shall appear if the value of base is 16, and except that a minus sign is the only sign that may appear, and only if T is a signed type.

Throws: Nothing.

  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, float& value, chars_format fmt);
  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, double& value, chars_format fmt);
  from_chars_result from_chars(const char* first, const char* last, long double& value, chars_format fmt);
Effects: The pattern is the expected form of the subject sequence in the "C" locale, as described for strtod in ISO C 7.20.1.3, except that In any case, the resulting value is one of at most two floating-point values closest to the value of the string matching the pattern.

Throws: Nothing.

Open Issues

(currently none)

References