Re: [boost] [numeric_limits] min() for floating point versus integers (Was: [xint] Third release is ready, requesting preliminary review)

Subject: Re: [boost] [numeric_limits] min() for floating point versus integers (Was: [xint] Third release is ready, requesting preliminary review)
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-05-04 07:34:51

Frank Mori Hess wrote:
>
> Speaking of numeric_limits, anyone know why they defined
> numeric_limits::min()
> to mean something completely different for floating and integer types?
>
> numeric_limits<double>::min is:  2.22507e-308
> numeric_limits<int>::min is:  -2147483648

That is a pain, isn't it?  I can only assume it was to avoid adding yet more attributes.  (You'd need biggest, smallest, maximum, and minimum, or some such set to express everything.)  Floating point types don't have asymmetrical ranges like integral types.

_____
Rob Stewart                           robert.stewart_at_[hidden]
Software Engineer, Core Software      using std::disclaimer;
Susquehanna International Group, LLP  http://www.sig.com

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