552 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
552 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
[/cstdfloat.qbk Specified-width floating-point typedefs]
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[def __IEEE754 [@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_floating_point IEEE_floating_point]]
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[def __N3626 [@http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2013/n3626.pdf N3626]]
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[def __N1703 [@http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg14/www/docs/n1703.pdf N1703]]
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[import ../../example/cstdfloat_example.cpp]
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[import ../../example/normal_tables.cpp]
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[/Removed as unhelpful for C++ users, but might have use as a check that quadmath is available and linked OK.]
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[/import ../../example/quadmath_snprintf.c]
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[section:specified_typedefs Overview]
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The header `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` provides [*optional]
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standardized floating-point `typedef`s having [*specified widths].
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These are useful for writing portable code because they
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should behave identically on all platforms.
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These `typedef`s are the floating-point analog of specified-width integers in `<cstdint>` and `stdint.h`.
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The `typedef`s are based on __N3626
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proposed for a new C++14 standard header `<cstdfloat>` and
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__N1703 proposed for a new C language standard header `<stdfloat.h>`.
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All `typedef`s are in `namespace boost` (would be in namespace `std` if eventually standardized).
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The `typedef`s include `float16_t, float32_t, float64_t, float80_t, float128_t`,
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their corresponding least and fast types,
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and the corresponding maximum-width type.
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The `typedef`s are based on underlying built-in types
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such as `float`, `double`, or `long double`, or the proposed __short_float,
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or based on other compiler-specific non-standardized types such as `__float128`.
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The underlying types of these `typedef`s must conform with
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the corresponding specifications of binary16, binary32, binary64,
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and binary128 in __IEEE754 floating-point format, and
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`std::numeric_limits<>::is_iec559 == true`.
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The 128-bit floating-point type (of great interest in scientific and
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numeric programming) is not required in the Boost header,
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and may not be supplied for all platforms/compilers, because compiler
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support for a 128-bit floating-point type is not mandated by either
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the C standard or the C++ standard.
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If 128-bit floating-point is supported, then including `boost/cstdfloat.hpp`
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provides a [*native] 128-bit type, and
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includes other headers in folder `boost/math/cstdfloat` that provide C++
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quad support for __C_math in `<cmath>`, `<limits>`, `<iostream>`, `<complex>`,
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and the available floating-point types.
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One can also, more robustly, include `boost/multiprecision/float128.hpp`
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and this provides a thin wrapper selecting the appropriate 128-bit native type
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from `cstdfloat` if available, or else a 128-bit multiprecision type.
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See [link math_toolkit.examples.je_lambda Jahnke-Emden-Lambda function example]
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for an example using both a `<cmath>` function and a Boost.Math function
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to evaluate a moderately interesting function, the
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[@http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LambdaFunction.html Jahnke-Emden-Lambda function]
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and [link math_toolkit.examples.normal_table normal distribution]
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as an example of a statistical distribution from Boost.Math.
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[endsect] [/section:specified_typedefs Overview]
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[section:rationale Rationale]
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The implementation of `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` is designed to utilize `<float.h>`,
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defined in the 1989 C standard. The preprocessor is used to query certain
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preprocessor definitions in `<float.h>` such as FLT_MAX, DBL_MAX, etc.
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Based on the results of these queries, an attempt is made to automatically
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detect the presence of built-in floating-point types having specified widths.
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An unequivocal test requiring conformance with __IEEE754 (IEC599) based on
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[@ http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/types/numeric_limits/is_iec559 `std::numeric_limits<>::is_iec559`]
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is performed with `BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT`.
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In addition, this Boost implementation `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>`
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supports an 80-bit floating-point `typedef` if it can be detected,
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and a 128-bit floating-point `typedef` if it can be detected,
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provided that the underlying types conform with
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[@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_precision IEEE-754 precision extension]
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(provided `std::numeric_limits<>::is_iec559 == true` for this type).
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The header `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` makes the standardized floating-point
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`typedef`s safely available in `namespace boost` without placing any names
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in `namespace std`. The intention is to complement rather than compete
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with a potential future C/C++ Standard Library that may contain these `typedef`s.
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Should some future C/C++ standard include `<stdfloat.h>` and `<cstdfloat>`,
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then `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` will continue to function, but will become redundant
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and may be safely deprecated.
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Because `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` is a Boost header, its name conforms to the
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boost header naming conventions, not the C++ Standard Library header
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naming conventions.
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[note
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`<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` [*cannot synthesize or create
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a `typedef` if the underlying type is not provided by the compiler].
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For example, if a compiler does not have an underlying floating-point
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type with 128 bits (highly sought-after in scientific and numeric programming),
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then `float128_t` and its corresponding least and fast types are [*not]
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provided by `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp`>.]
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[warning If `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` uses a compiler-specific non-standardized type
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([*not] derived from `float, double,` or `long double`) for one or more
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of its floating-point `typedef`s, then there is no guarantee that
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specializations of `numeric_limits<>` will be available for these types.
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Typically, specializations of `numeric_limits<>` will only be available for these
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types if the compiler itself supports corresponding specializations
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for the underlying type(s), exceptions are GCC's `__float128` type and
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Intel's `_Quad` type which are explicitly supported via our own code.]
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[warning
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As an implementation artifact, certain C macro names from `<float.h>`
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may possibly be visible to users of `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>`.
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Don't rely on using these macros; they are not part of any Boost-specified interface.
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Use `std::numeric_limits<>` for floating-point ranges, etc. instead.]
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[tip For best results, `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` should be `#include`d before
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other headers that define generic code making use of standard library functions
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defined in <cmath>.
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This is because `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` may define overloads of
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standard library functions where a non-standard type (i.e. other than
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`float`, `double`, or `long double`) is used for one of the specified
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width types. If generic code (for example in another Boost.Math header)
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calls a standard library function, then the correct overload will only be
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found if these overloads are defined prior to the point of use.
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See [link math_toolkit.float128.overloading overloading template functions with float128_t]
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and the implementation of `cstdfloat.hpp` for more details.
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For this reason, making `#include <boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` the [*first
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include] is usually best.
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]
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[endsect] [/section:rationale Rationale]
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[section:exact_typdefs Exact-Width Floating-Point `typedef`s]
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The `typedef float#_t`, with # replaced by the width, designates a
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floating-point type of exactly # bits. For example `float32_t` denotes
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a single-precision floating-point type with approximately
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7 decimal digits of precision (equivalent to binary32 in __IEEE754).
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Floating-point types in C and C++ are specified to be allowed to have
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(optionally) implementation-specific widths and formats.
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However, if a platform supports underlying
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floating-point types (conformant with __IEEE754) with widths of
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16, 32, 64, 80, 128 bits, or any combination thereof,
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then `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` does provide the corresponding `typedef`s
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`float16_t, float32_t, float64_t, float80_t, float128_t,`
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their corresponding least and fast types,
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and the corresponding maximum-width type.
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[h4 How to tell which widths are supported]
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The definition (or not) of a
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[link math_toolkit.macros floating-point constant macro]
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is a way to test if a [*specific width floating-point] is available on a platform.
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#if defined(BOOST_FLOAT16_C)
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// Can use boost::float16_t, perhaps a proposed __short_float.
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// P0192R1, Adding Fundamental Type for Short Float,
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// Boris Fomitchev, Sergei Nikolaev, Olivier Giroux, Lawrence Crowl, 2016 Feb14
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// http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg14/www/docs/n2016.pdf
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#endif
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#if defined(BOOST_FLOAT32_C)
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// Can use boost::float32_t, usually type `float`.
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#endif
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#if defined(BOOST_FLOAT64_C)
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// Can use boost::float64_t, usually type `double`, and sometimes also type `long double`.
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#endif
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#if defined(BOOST_FLOAT80_C)
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// Can use boost::float80_t, sometimes type `long double`.
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#endif
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#if defined(BOOST_FLOAT128_C)
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// Can use boost::float128_t. Sometimes type `__float128` or `_Quad`.
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#endif
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This can be used to write code which will compile and run (albeit differently) on several platforms.
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Without these tests, if a width, say `float128_t` is not supported, then compilation would fail.
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(It is, of course, rare for `float64_t` or `float32_t` not to be supported).
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The number of bits in just the significand can be determined using:
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std::numeric_limits<boost::floatmax_t>::digits
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and from this one can safely infer the total number of bits because the type must be IEEE754 format,
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`std::numeric_limits<boost::floatmax_t>::is_iec559 == true`,
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so, for example, if `std::numeric_limits<boost::floatmax_t>::digits == 113`,
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then `floatmax_t` must be` float128_t`.
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The [*total] number of bits using `floatmax_t` can be found thus:
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[floatmax_1]
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and the number of 'guaranteed' decimal digits using
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std::numeric_limits<boost::floatmax_t>::digits10
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and the maximum number of possibly significant decimal digits using
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std::numeric_limits<boost::floatmax_t>::max_digits10
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[tip `max_digits10` is not always supported,
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but can be calculated at compile-time using the Kahan formula,
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`2 + binary_digits * 0.3010` which can be calculated [*at compile time] using
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`2 + binary_digits * 3010/10000`.
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]
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[note One could test that
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std::is_same<boost::floatmax_t, boost::float128_t>::value == true
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but this would fail to compile on a platform where `boost::float128_t` is not defined.
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So it is better to use the MACROs `BOOST_FLOATnnn_C`. ]
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[endsect] [/section:exact_typdefs Exact-Width Floating-Point `typedef`s]
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[section:minimum_typdefs Minimum-width floating-point `typedef`s]
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The `typedef float_least#_t`, with # replaced by the width, designates a
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floating-point type with a [*width of at least # bits], such that no
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floating-point type with lesser size has at least the specified width.
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Thus, `float_least32_t` denotes the smallest floating-point type with
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a width of at least 32 bits.
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Minimum-width floating-point types are provided for all existing
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exact-width floating-point types on a given platform.
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For example, if a platform supports `float32_t` and `float64_t`,
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then `float_least32_t` and `float_least64_t` will also be supported, etc.
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[endsect] [/section:minimum_typdefs Minimum-width floating-point `typedef`s]
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[section:fastest_typdefs Fastest floating-point `typedef`s]
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The `typedef float_fast#_t`, with # replaced by the width, designates
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the [*fastest] floating-point type with a [*width of at least # bits].
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There is no absolute guarantee that these types are the fastest for all purposes.
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In any case, however, they satisfy the precision and width requirements.
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Fastest minimum-width floating-point types are provided for all existing
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exact-width floating-point types on a given platform.
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For example, if a platform supports `float32_t` and `float64_t`,
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then `float_fast32_t` and `float_fast64_t` will also be supported, etc.
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[endsect] [/section:fastest_typdefs Fastest floating-point `typedef`s]
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[section:greatest_typdefs Greatest-width floating-point typedef]
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The `typedef floatmax_t` designates a floating-point type capable of representing
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any value of any floating-point type in a given platform most precisely.
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The greatest-width `typedef` is provided for all platforms, but, of course, the size may vary.
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To provide floating-point [*constants] most precisely representable for a `floatmax_t` type,
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use the macro `BOOST_FLOATMAX_C`.
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For example, replace a constant `123.4567890123456789012345678901234567890` with
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BOOST_FLOATMAX_C(123.4567890123456789012345678901234567890)
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If, for example, `floatmax_t` is `float64_t` then the result will be equivalent to a `long double` suffixed with L,
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but if `floatmax_t` is `float128_t` then the result will be equivalent to a `quad type` suffixed with Q
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(assuming, of course, that `float128_t` (`__float128` or `Quad`) is supported).
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If we display with `max_digits10`, the maximum possibly significant decimal digits:
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[floatmax_widths_1]
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then on a 128-bit platform (GCC 4.8.1 or higher with quadmath):
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[floatmax_widths_2]
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[endsect] [/section:greatest_typdefs Greatest-width floating-point typedef]
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[section:macros Floating-Point Constant Macros]
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All macros of the type `BOOST_FLOAT16_C, BOOST_FLOAT32_C, BOOST_FLOAT64_C,
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BOOST_FLOAT80_C, BOOST_FLOAT128_C, ` and `BOOST_FLOATMAX_C`
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are always defined after inclusion of `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>`.
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[cstdfloat_constant_2]
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[tip Boost.Math provides many constants 'built-in', so always use Boost.Math constants if available, for example:]
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[cstdfloat_constant_1]
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from [@../../example/cstdfloat_example.cpp cstdfloat_example.cpp].
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See the complete list of __constants.
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[endsect] [/section:macros Floating-Point Constant Macros]
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[section:examples Examples]
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[h3:je_lambda Jahnke-Emden-Lambda function]
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The following code uses `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` in combination with
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`<boost/math/special_functions.hpp>` to compute a simplified
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version of the
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[@http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LambdaFunction.html Jahnke-Emden-Lambda function].
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Here, we specify a floating-point type with [*exactly 64 bits] (i.e., `float64_t`).
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If we were to use, for instance, built-in `double`,
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then there would be no guarantee that the code would
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behave identically on all platforms. With `float64_t` from
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`<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>`, however, it is very likely to be identical.
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Using `float64_t`, we know that
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this code is as portable as possible and uses a floating-point type
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with approximately 15 decimal digits of precision,
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regardless of the compiler or version or operating system.
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[cstdfloat_example_1]
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[cstdfloat_example_2]
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[cstdfloat_example_3]
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For details, see [@../../example/cstdfloat_example.cpp cstdfloat_example.cpp]
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- a extensive example program.
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[h3:normal_table Normal distribution table]
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This example shows printing tables of a normal distribution's PDF and CDF,
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using `boost::math` implementation of normal distribution.
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A function templated on floating-point type prints a table for a range of standard variate z values.
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The example shows use of the specified-width typedefs to either use a specific width,
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or to use the maximum available on the platform, perhaps a high as 128-bit.
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The number of digits displayed is controlled by the precision of the type,
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so there are no spurious insignificant decimal digits:
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float_32_t 0 0.39894228
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float_128_t 0 0.398942280401432702863218082711682655
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Some sample output for two different platforms is appended to the code at
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[@../../example/normal_tables.cpp normal_tables.cpp].
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[normal_table_1]
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[endsect] [/section:examples examples]
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[section:float128_hints Hints on using float128 (and __float128)]
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[h5:different_float128 __float128 versus float128]
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* __float128 is the (optionally) compiler supplied hardware type,
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it's an C-ish extension to C++ and there is only
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minimal support for it in normal C++
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(no IO streams or `numeric_limits` support,
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function names in libquadmath all have different names to the
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`std::` ones etc.)
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So you can program type `__float128` directly, but it's harder work.
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* Type `float128` uses __float128 and makes it C++ and generic code friendly,
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with all the usual standard `iostream`, `numeric_limits`, `complex` in namspace `std::` available,
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so strongly recommended for C++ use.
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[h5 Hints and tips]
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* Make sure you declare variables with the correct type, here `float128`.
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* Make sure that if you pass a variable to a function then it is casted to `float128`.
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* Make sure you declare literals with the correct suffix - otherwise
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they'll be treated as type `double` with catastrophic loss of precision.
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So make sure they have a Q suffix for 128-bit floating-point literals.
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* All the std library functions, cmath functions, plus all the constants, and special
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functions from Boost.Math should then just work.
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* Make sure std lib functions are called [*unqualified] so that the correct
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overload is found via __ADL. So write
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sqrt(variable)
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and not
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std::sqrt(variable).
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* In general, try not to reinvent stuff - using constants from
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Boost.Math is probably less error prone than declaring your own,
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likewise the special functions etc.
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Some examples of what can go horribly and silently wrong are at
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[@../../example/float128_example.cpp float128_example.cpp].
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[endsect] [/section:float128_hints Hints on using float128]
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[section:float128 Implementation of Float128 type]
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Since few compilers implement a true 128-bit floating-point, and language features like the suffix Q
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(which may need an option `-fext-numeric-literals` to enable),
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and C++ Standard library functions are as-yet missing or incomplete in C++11,
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this Boost.Math implementation wraps `__float128` provided by the GCC compiler
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[@https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Floating-Types.html GCC floating-point types]
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or the `_Quad` type provided by the Intel compiler.
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This is provided to in order to demonstrate, and users to evaluate, the feasibility and benefits of higher-precision floating-point,
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especially to allow use of the full <cmath> and Boost.Math library of functions and distributions at high precision.
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(It is also possible to use Boost.Math with Boost.Multiprecision decimal and binary, but since these are entirely software solutions,
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allowing much higher precision or arbitrary precision, they are likely to be slower).
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We also provide (we believe full) support for `<limits>, <cmath>`, I/O stream operations in `<iostream>`, and `<complex>`.
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As a prototype for a future C++ standard, we place all these in `namespace std`.
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This contravenes the existing C++ standard of course, so selecting any compiler that promises to check conformance will fail.
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[tip For GCC, compile with `-std=gnu++11` or `-std=gnu++03` and do not use `-std=stdc++11` or any 'strict' options, as
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these turn off full support for `__float128`. These requirements also apply to the Intel compiler on Linux, for
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Intel on Windows you need to compile with `-Qoption,cpp,--extended_float_type -DBOOST_MATH_USE_FLOAT128` in order to
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activate 128-bit floating point support.]
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The `__float128` type is provided by the [@http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/libquadmath/ libquadmath library] on GCC or
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by Intel's FORTRAN library with Intel C++. They also provide a full set of `<cmath>` functions in `namespace std`.
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[h4 Using C __float128 quadmath type]
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[/quadmath_snprintf_1]
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The source code is at [@https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc-9.1.0/libquadmath/quadmath_005fsnprintf.html#quadmath_005fsnprintf quadmath_snprintf.c].
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[h4 Using C++ `float128` quadmath type]
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For C++ programs, you will want to use the C++ type `float128`
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See example at [@../../example/cstdfloat_example.cpp cstdfloat_example.cpp].
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A typical invocation of the compiler is
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g++ -O3 -std=gnu++11 test.cpp -I/c/modular-boost -lquadmath -o test.exe
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[tip If you are trying to use the develop branch of Boost.Math, then make `-I/c/modular-boost/libs/math/include` the [*first] include directory.]
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g++ -O3 -std=gnu++11 test.cpp -I/c/modular-boost/libs/math/include -I/c/modular-boost -lquadmath -o test.exe
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[note So far, the only missing detail that we had noted was in trying to use `<typeinfo>`,
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for example for `std::cout << typeid<__float_128>.name();`.
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``
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Link fails: undefined reference to typeinfo for __float128.
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``
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See [@http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=43622 GCC Bug 43622 - no C++ typeinfo for __float128].
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But this is reported (Marc Glisse 2015-04-04 ) fixed in GCC 5 (and above).
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For example, with GCC6.1.1 this works as expected to a [*mangled] string name, and output (if possible - not always).
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``
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const std::type_info& tifu128 = typeid(__float128); // OK.
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//std::cout << tifu128.name() << std::endl; // On GCC, aborts (because not printable string).
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//std::cout << typeid(__float128).name() << std::endl; // Aborts - string name cannot be output.
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const std::type_info& tif128 = typeid(float128); // OK.
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std::cout << tif128.name() << std::endl; // OK.
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std::cout << typeid(float128).name() << std::endl; // OK.
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const std::type_info& tpi = typeid(pi1); // OK GCC 6.1.1 (from GCC 5 according to http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=43622)
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std::cout << tpi.name() << std::endl; // Output mangled name:
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// N5boost14multiprecision6numberINS0_8backends16float128_backendELNS0_26expression_template_optionE0EEE
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``
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] [/note]
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[section:overloading Overloading template functions with float128_t]
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An artifact of providing C++ standard library support for
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quadmath may mandate the inclusion of `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>`
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[*before] the inclusion of other headers.
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Consider a function that calls `fabs(x)` and has previously injected `std::fabs()`
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into local scope via a `using` directive:
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template <class T>
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bool unsigned_compare(T a, T b)
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{
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using std::fabs;
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return fabs(a) == fabs(b);
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}
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In this function, the correct overload of `fabs` may be found via
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[@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument-dependent_name_lookup argument-dependent-lookup (ADL)]
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or by calling one of the `std::fabs` overloads. There is a key difference between them
|
|
however: an overload in the same namespace as T and found via ADL need ['[*not be defined at the
|
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time the function is declared]]. However, all the types declared in `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` are
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fundamental types, so for these types we are relying on finding an overload declared in namespace `std`.
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In that case however, ['[*all such overloads must be declared prior to the definition of function
|
|
`unsigned_compare` otherwise they are not considered]].
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|
In the event that `<boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` has been included [*after] the
|
|
definition of the above function, the correct overload of `fabs`, while present, is simply
|
|
not considered as part of the overload set.
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So the compiler tries to downcast the `float128_t` argument first to
|
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`long double`, then to `double`, then to `float`;
|
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the compilation fails because the result is ambiguous.
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However the compiler error message will appear cruelly inscrutable,
|
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at an apparently irelevant line number and making no mention of `float128`:
|
|
the word ['ambiguous] is the clue to what is wrong.
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|
Provided you `#include <boost/cstdfloat.hpp>` [*before] the inclusion
|
|
of the any header containing generic floating point code (such as other
|
|
Boost.Math headers, then the compiler
|
|
will know about and use the `std::fabs(std::float128_t)`
|
|
that we provide in `#include <boost/cstdfloat.hpp>`.
|
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|
[endsect]
|
|
|
|
[section:exp_function Exponential function]
|
|
|
|
There was a bug when using any quadmath `expq` function on GCC :
|
|
[@http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=60349 GCC bug #60349]
|
|
caused by
|
|
[@http://sourceforge.net/p/mingw-w64/bugs/368/ mingw-64 bug #368].
|
|
|
|
To work round this defect, an alternative implementation of 128-bit exp
|
|
was temporarily provided by `boost/cstdfloat.hpp`.
|
|
|
|
The mingw bug was fixed at 2014-03-12 and GCC 6.1.1 now works as expected.
|
|
|
|
[tip It is essential to *link* to the quadmath library, for example, in a b2/bjam file: `<linkflags>-lquadmath`].
|
|
|
|
[endsect] [/section:exp_function exp function]
|
|
|
|
[section:typeinfo `typeinfo`]
|
|
|
|
For GCC 4.8.1 it was not yet possible to use `typeinfo` for `float_128` on GCC:
|
|
see [@http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=43622 GCC 43622].
|
|
|
|
So this code (to display the mangled name)
|
|
failed to link `undefined reference to typeinfo for __float128`
|
|
|
|
std::cout << typeid(boost::float128_t).name() << std::endl;
|
|
|
|
This prevent using the existing tests for Boost.Math distributions,
|
|
(unless a few lines are commented out)
|
|
and if a MACRO BOOST_MATH_INSTRUMENT controlling them is defined
|
|
then some diagnostic displays in Boost.Math will not work.
|
|
|
|
However this was only used for display purposes
|
|
and could be commented out until this was fixed in GCC 5.
|
|
|
|
[tip Not all managed names can be [*displayed] using `std::cout`.]
|
|
|
|
[endsect] [/section:typeinfo `typeinfo`]
|
|
|
|
|
|
[endsect] [/section:float128 Float128 type]
|
|
|
|
[/ cstdfloat.qbk
|
|
Copyright 2014 Christopher Kormanyos, John Maddock and Paul A. Bristow.
|
|
Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
|
|
(See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
|
|
http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt).
|
|
]
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