Re: [Boost-users] Re: Re: equality fails with C++ bools SOLVED

From: Ross Boylan (ross_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-02-01 19:45:27

On Sat, Jan 29, 2005 at 01:52:53PM -0500, Gennadiy Rozental wrote:
> > I prefer the symmetry of
> > BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(obj.fn(), true)
> > BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(obj.fn(), false)
> > since, at different points I'm expecting true or false.  I know there
> > are alternatives.
> 
> Why not
> BOOST_CHECK( obj.fn() );
> BOOST_CHECK( !obj.fn() );
> 
> I believe it's more natural.
> 
> Gennadiy

I was probably also influenced by a literal-minded reading of the
useage suggestion "Prefer BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL to BOOST_CHECK"!

As it turns out, I'm lucky I used the BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL form, because
it exposed this bug.  The returned value tested as true, but not ==
true.  I was using an uninitialized (actually, post-destruction) value
for the bool, and that's what led to the crazy value.

I reported earlier that overwriting the bits in the bool variable did
not change it.  That report was mistaken; at least, when I try it now
I am able to stick numeric values in the bool other than 0 or 1.

I know using unitialized or free'd variables is a no-no, but I'm a bit
surprised bool can take on such wacky values.