Re: [boost] Any interest in bitstream class?

Subject: Re: [boost] Any interest in bitstream class?
From: Adam Wulkiewicz (adam.wulkiewicz_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-06-29 07:42:43

Hi,

Paul Long wrote:
> What do you think?
> Should the bitstream library support multiple endian schemes in the bit
> stream or is big endian enough?
>

Various communication protocols or files may define the endianess of 
data differently. There are even cases like TIFF files which define the 
endianess of data in the header. Therefore this type of library should 
support different endianesses. It should also probably support switching 
them for the same stream multiple times. E.g. some manipulators could be 
provided:

namespace bs = boost::bitstream;

mystream >> bs::big >> my_int16 >> my_IEEE754_float_32 >> bs::little >> 
other_int16;

Of course the endianess of variables on a specific platform should be 
taken into account.

It could also support some non-C++ formats like 16-bit half precision or 
128-bit quad precision floats. Some typedefs would probably be required 
in namespace boost::bitstream.

Best Regards,
Adam Wulkiewicz