george@hyper.lap.upenn.edu (George Zipperlen) (12/09/87)
Wanted: a way to declare binary constants!
Arrays of binaries intended as bitmaps are much easier to read and edit
than arrays of hex declarations. As an example here's a piece of C code:
static unsigned short CursorPattern[16] = {
0xff00, /* 1111111100000000, */
0x8200, /* 1000001000000000, */
0x8400, /* 1000010000000000, */
0x8200, /* 1000001000000000, */
0x8100, /* 1000000100000000, */
0xa080, /* 1010000010000000, */
0xd040, /* 1101000001000000, */
0x8880, /* 1000100010000000, */
0x0500, /* 0000010100000000, */
0x0200, /* 0000001000000000, */
0x0000, /* 0000000000000000, */
0x0000, /* 0000000000000000, */
0x0000, /* 0000000000000000, */
0x0000, /* 0000000000000000, */
0x0000, /* 0000000000000000, */
0x0000 } /* 0000000000000000 } */
I have a little filter that generates the whole line from the text within
the comments, but it would be nice if the compiler (or the pre-processor)
could do this.
What I would like to be able to do is to declare binary constants in some
form like (just a suggestion):
0b#01000100
If anyone reading this has the ear of ANSII, could they pass this suggestion on?
If it's too late for C, how about in C++ ?
Notes from some competing (-:) languages
FORTRAN 77 (UTX/32 from Gould) B'00100101' c I've seen it in other dialects
DOMAIN Pascal (from Apollo) 2#10010 { I've seen it in other dialects }
Smalltalk-80 2r1111110
Icon 2R11011
OK, the first 2 are extensions to awkward languages, and the last 2 aren't
system implementation languages (:-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
George Zipperlen george@apollo.lap.upenn.edu
Language Analysis Project george@hyper.lap.upenn.edu
University of Pennsylvania Generic Disclaimer
Philadelphia, Pa. Cute saying
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------amos@taux01.UUCP (Amos Shapir) (12/09/87)
In article <2752@super.upenn.edu> george@hyper.lap.upenn.edu (George Zipperlen) writes: >Wanted: a way to declare binary constants! Personally, I like hex/octal better; once you get used to it and have the bit patterns in your head, it' much easier to use, e.g., in: > 0x8200, /* 1000001000000000, */ quick, is bit 10 set or reset? Now, try it again with 32-bit values... -- Amos Shapir (My other cpu is a NS32532) National Semiconductor (Israel) 6 Maskit st. P.O.B. 3007, Herzlia 46104, Israel Tel. +972 52 522261 amos%taux01@nsc.com (used to be amos%nsta@nsc.com) 34 48 E / 32 10 N
bright@dataio.Data-IO.COM (Walter Bright) (12/10/87)
In article <2752@super.upenn.edu> george@hyper.lap.upenn.edu (George Zipperlen) writes:
<Wanted: a way to declare binary constants!
<Arrays of binaries intended as bitmaps are much easier to read and edit
<than arrays of hex declarations. As an example here's a piece of C code:
<static unsigned short CursorPattern[16] = {
< 0xff00, /* 1111111100000000, */
< 0x0000 } /* 0000000000000000 } */
<What I would like to be able to do is to declare binary constants in some
<form like (just a suggestion):
< 0b#01000100
This is implemented in Datalight C as 0b01000100. It is also in printf()
and scanf() as %b format. I sent a letter asking the ANSI C committee to
include it, but they cited a 'lack of prior art'. So I implemented it in
Datalight C so it is 'prior art' now. Pressure your C compiler vendor to
implement it also.karl@haddock.ISC.COM (Karl Heuer) (12/10/87)
In article <2752@super.upenn.edu> george@hyper.lap.upenn.edu (George Zipperlen) writes: >Wanted: a way to declare binary constants! Yeah, I'd occasionally find that useful too. The obvious syntax is 0b1011. >[Can we get this to the ANSI committee?] You'll get the usual response: "Need not convincingly shown; doable with existing features; lack of prior art". Since it's an easy feature to add, put it in your local cc (or ask your vendor to do so) as an extension -- if it becomes popular enough, it may make it into __STDC__==2. Karl W. Z. Heuer (ima!haddock!karl or karl@haddock.isc.com), The Walking Lint
ado@elsie.UUCP (Arthur David Olson) (12/12/87)
> Wanted: a way to declare binary constants! > Arrays of binaries intended as bitmaps are much easier to read and edit > than arrays of hex declarations. . . > > static unsigned short CursorPattern[16] = { > 0xff00, /* 1111111100000000, */ > 0x8200, /* 1000001000000000, */ > ... #include <stdio.h> #define __ ((((((((((((((((0 #define _ <<1|0) #define X <<1|1) static unsigned short CursorPattern[16] = { __ X X X X X X X X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ X _ _ _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ X _ _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ X _ _ _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ X _ _ _ _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ X _ X _ _ _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ X X _ X _ _ _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ X _ _ _ X _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ X _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ _ X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ }; main() { int i; for (i = 0; i < sizeof CursorPattern / sizeof CursorPattern[0]; ++i) (void) printf("%04x\n", CursorPattern[i]); return 0; } -- ado@vax2.nlm.nih.gov ADO, VAX, and NIH are Ampex and DEC trademarks