Contents

• Introduction
• template class bounds<N>
• Examples

Introduction

To determine the ranges of numeric types with std:: numeric_limits [18.2.1], different syntax have to be used depending on numeric type. Specifically, numeric_limits<T>::min() for integral types returns the minimum finite value, whereas for floating point types it returns the minimum positive normalized value. The difference in semantics makes client code unnecessarily complex and error prone.

boost::numeric::bounds<> provides a consistent interface for retrieving the maximum finite value, the minimum finite value and the minimum positive normalized value (0 for integral types) for numeric types. The selection of implementation is performed at compile time, so there is no runtime overhead.

traits class bounds<N>

template<class N>
struct bounds
{
  static N lowest  () { return implementation_defined; }
  static N highest () { return implementation_defined; }
  static N smallest() { return implementation_defined; }
};

Members

lowest()

Returns the minimum finite value, equivalent to numeric_limits<T>::min() when T is an integral type, and to -numeric_limits<T>::max() when T is a floating point type.

highest()

Returns the maximum finite value, equivalent to numeric_limits<T>::max().

smallest()

Returns the smallest positive normalized value for floating point types with denormalization, or returns 0 for integral types.

Examples

The following example demonstrates the use of numeric::bounds<> and the equivalent code using numeric_limits:

#include <iostream>

#include <boost/numeric/conversion/bounds.hpp>
#include <boost/limits.hpp>

int main() {

  std::cout << "numeric::bounds versus numeric_limits example.\n";

  std::cout << "The maximum value for float:\n";
  std::cout << boost::numeric::bounds<float>::highest() << "\n";
  std::cout << std::numeric_limits<float>::max() << "\n";

  std::cout << "The minimum value for float:\n";
  std::cout << boost::numeric::bounds<float>::lowest() << "\n";
  std::cout << -std::numeric_limits<float>::max() << "\n";

  std::cout << "The smallest positive value for float:\n";
  std::cout << boost::numeric::bounds<float>::smallest() << "\n";
  std::cout << std::numeric_limits<float>::min() << "\n";

  return 0;
}

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Revised 23 June 2004

© Copyright Fernando Luis Cacciola Carballal, 2004

Use, modification, and distribution are subject to the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)