Issue 0248: limits are required for optional types

This issue has been automatically converted from the original issue lists and some formatting may not have been preserved.

Authors: Clive D.W. Feather <clive@demon.net>, UK C Panel
Date: 2001-09-07
Submitted against: C99
Status: Fixed
Fixed in: C99 TC2
Converted from: summary-c99.htm, dr_248.htm

Problem

The types sig_atomic_t and wchar_t are optional on freestanding implementations, since they don't have to provide the relevant headers. But the limits SIG_ATOMIC_MIN, SIG_ATOMIC_MAX, WINT_MIN, and WINT_MAX are in <stdint.h>, which all implementations must provide. So a freestanding implementation must provide limits for types which it doesn't implement.

Suggested Technical Corrigendum

Append to 7.18.3#2:

A freestanding implementation shall only define the symbols corresponding to those typedef names it actually provides.

Comment from WG14 on 2002-03-06:

Technical Corrigendum

Append to 7.18.3#2:

An implementation shall define only the macros corresponding to those typedef names it actually provides.

Add a footnote to the last sentence of 7.18.3#2 to read:

A freestanding implementation need not provide all of these types.