Document Number:  WG14 N668/X3J11 97-031


                        C9X Revision Proposal
                        =====================

Title: Format modifier for intmax_t and uintmax_t values.
Author: Clive D.W. Feather
Author Affiliation: Demon Internet Ltd.
Postal Address: 322 Regent Park Road, London N3 2QQ, UK
E-mail Address: clive@demon.net
Telephone Number: +44 181 371 1138
Fax Number: +44 181 371 1150
Sponsor: none so far
Date: 1997-02-08
Proposal Category:
   __ Editorial change/non-normative contribution
   __ Correction
   XX New feature
   __ Addition to obsolescent feature list
   __ Addition to Future Directions
   __ Other (please specify)  ______________________________
Area of Standard Affected:
   __ Environment
   __ Language
   __ Preprocessor
   XX Library
      __ Macro/typedef/tag name
      XX Function
      __ Header
   __ Other (please specify)  ______________________________
Prior Art: none, but should be obvious
Target Audience: careful programmers

Related Documents (if any): none

Proposal Attached: Yes

Abstract:
Add the modifier "m" to integral conversion specifiers in the *printf
and *scanf functions (e.g. "%md" or "%15.3mX"), indicating that the
corresponding argument has type intmax_t or uintmax_t.

Rationale:
There are a number of constructs, notably those using size_t and
ptrdiff_t, where the actual type of an integral expression is unknown.
To print such values, it is necessary to cast them to a large type -
[un]signed long was traditionally used, but C9X now has [u]intmax_t. The
problem with the latter is that there is no way to conveniently print
*it* other than with no field width or precision or format flags.

Given the significance of the "largest type", it should be more
convenient to print it in various ways.

Detailed changes: [relative to C9X Draft 8]

7.11.6.1 (fprintf) paragraph 3 and 7.17.2.1 (fwprintf) paragraph 4, in
each case the fourth bullet point, insert the following clauses:

    an optional m specifying that a following d, i, o, u, x, or X
    conversion specifier appiles to a intmax_t or uintmax_t argument;

    an optional m specifying that a following n conversion specifier
    applies to a pointer to a intmax_t argument;

and insert m into the last sentence.

7.11.6.2 (fscanf) and 7.17.2.2 (fwscanf), both at paragraph 3, third
bullet point, change to:

    An optional h, l (ell), ll (ell-ell), m, or L indicating ... pointer
    to long, by ll if it is a pointer to long long int, or by m if it is
    a pointer to intmax_t. ... pointer to unsigned long int, by ll if it
    is a pointer to unsigned long long int, or by m if it is a pointer
    to uintmax_t.

and insert m into the last sentence.
==== ENDS ====