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Section: 31.7.6.2.4 [ostream.sentry] Status: NAD Submitter: Martin Sebor Opened: 2003-01-05 Last modified: 2021-06-06
Priority: Not Prioritized
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Discussion:
While reviewing unformatted input member functions of istream for their behavior when they encounter end-of-file during input I found that the requirements vary, sometimes unexpectedly, and in more than one case even contradict established practice (GNU libstdc++ 3.2, IBM VAC++ 6.0, STLPort 4.5, SunPro 5.3, HP aCC 5.38, Rogue Wave libstd 3.1, and Classic Iostreams).
The following unformatted input member functions set eofbit if they encounter an end-of-file (this is the expected behavior, and also the behavior of all major implementations):
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
get (char_type*, streamsize, char_type);
Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
get (char_type*, streamsize);
Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
getline (char_type*, streamsize, char_type);
Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
getline (char_type*, streamsize);
Also sets failbit if it fails to extract any characters.
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
ignore (int, int_type);
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
read (char_type*, streamsize);
Also sets failbit if it encounters end-of-file.
streamsize readsome (char_type*, streamsize);
The following unformated input member functions set failbit but not eofbit if they encounter an end-of-file (I find this odd since the functions make it impossible to distinguish a general failure from a failure due to end-of-file; the requirement is also in conflict with all major implementation which set both eofbit and failbit):
int_type get();
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
get (char_type&);
These functions only set failbit of they extract no characters, otherwise they don't set any bits, even on failure (I find this inconsistency quite unexpected; the requirement is also in conflict with all major implementations which set eofbit whenever they encounter end-of-file):
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
get (basic_streambuf<charT, traits>&, char_type);
basic_istream<charT, traits>&
get (basic_streambuf<charT, traits>&);
This function sets no bits (all implementations except for STLport and Classic Iostreams set eofbit when they encounter end-of-file):
int_type peek ();
Informally, what we want is a global statement of intent saying that eofbit gets set if we trip across EOF, and then we can take away the specific wording for individual functions. A full review is necessary. The wording currently in the standard is a mishmash, and changing it on an individual basis wouldn't make things better. Dietmar will do this work.
[ 2009-07 Frankfurt ]
Moved to NAD. See 31.7.5.2 [istream] p3.
Proposed resolution: