Re: [boost] boost::format - incorrect (printf-incompatible) handling of "%u" with characters

From: Phil Endecott (spam_from_boost_dev_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-03-04 09:38:40

Zack wrote:
> Consider the following example program:
>
> #include <boost/format.hpp>
> #include <cstdio>
> #include <string>
>
> int main()
> {
>     unsigned char n = 65;
>     std::printf("%u\n", n);
>     std::puts((boost::format("%u") % n).str().c_str());
> }
>
> $ g++ test.cc
> $ ./a.out
> 65
> A
>
> In my opinion this is a bug - both operations should produce "65". 

See my previous report:

http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.user/23644
which continues at
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.user/23664

The conclusion at that time was that
- you can just cast to an int if this is what you want.
- you shouldn't be using bytes to store numbers - that's unnecessary
size optimisation.

I didn't agree with those conclusions, and I'm no longer using boost::format.

Phil.