Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!dgp.toronto.edu!flaps
From: flaps@dgp.toronto.edu (Alan J Rosenthal)
Subject: Re: type of character constants
Message-ID: <8903140309.AA02400@champlain.dgp.toronto.edu>
Keywords: character constants
Organization: Dynamic Graphics Project, University of Toronto
References: <13068@steinmetz.ge.com> <102@servio.UUCP> <10138@socslgw.csl.sony.JUNET> <1783@dlvax2.datlog.co.uk> <3711@xyzzy.UUCP> <1644@vicorp.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 89 22:09:04 EST


charlie@vicorp.UUCP (Charlie Goldensher) writes:
>On the previous page (page 184, 6.6 Arithmetic conversions) K&R say:
>
>	First, any operands of type char or short are converted to
>	type int, and any of type float are converted to double.
>
>So what does it matter if a character constant is of type char or of
>type int?  If it is of type char, it will be *converted* to type int
>in any expression in which it is used...

It affects sizeof 'a', which is sizeof(int), not sizeof(char).


bill@twwells.uucp (T. William Wells) writes:
>There is a subtle difference. If 'c' is an integer constant, '\377'
>represents the value 255. If, on the other hand, it is a char
>constant, and characters sign extend, it represents -1.

Nope, it is an int constant, and if chars are 8 bits and the system is twos
complement and chars sign-extend, it is -1.
Reference: K&R II p193, second-to-last sentence of the last full paragraph.

ajr

--
"The goto statement has been the focus of much of this controversy."
	    -- Aho & Ullman, Principles of Compiler Design, A-W 1977, page 54.