Re: [PATCH v2] <sys/param.h>: Add nitems() and snitems() macros

From: Alejandro Colomar
Date: Fri Sep 25 2020 - 10:10:09 EST




On 2020-09-25 15:20, Alejandro Colomar wrote:
> 'nitems()' calculates the length of an array in number of items.
> It is safe: if a pointer is passed to the macro (or function, in C++),
> the compilation is broken due to:
> - In >= C11: _Static_assert()
> - In C89, C99: Negative anonymous bitfield
> - In C++: The template requires an array
>
> 'snitems()' is equivalent to nitems(),
> but it returns a 'ptrdiff_t' instead of a 'size_t'.
> It is useful for comparison with signed integer values.
>
> Some BSDs already provide a macro nitems() in <sys/param.h>,
> although it usually doesn't provide safety against pointers.
>
> This patch uses the same name for compatibility reasons,
> and to be the least disruptive with existing code.
>
> This patch also adds some other macros, which are required by 'nitems()':
>
> __is_same_type(_A, _B):
> Returns non-zero if the two input arguments are of the same type.
>
> __is_array(_Arr):
> Returns non-zero if the input argument is of an array type.
>
> __must_be(_Expr, _Msg):
> Allows using _Static_assert() everywhere an expression can be used.
> It evaluates '(int)0' or breaks the compilation.
>
> __must_be_array(_Arr):
> It evaluates to '(int)0' if the argument is of an array type.
> Else, it breaks compilation.
>
> __array_len(_Arr):
> It implements the basic sizeof division needed to calculate the array length.
>
>
> P.S.: I'd like to put this patch in the public domain.
>
>
> Signed-off-by: Alejandro Colomar <colomar.6.4.3@xxxxxxxxx>
> ---

I patched my own system's <sys/param.h> with this,
and while 'nitems()' works fine,
I had to include <stddef.h> in my main.c to be able to use 'snitems()',
because I didn't have 'ptrdiff_t',
eventhough <sys/param.h> already includes <stddef.h>.

I completely ignore the mechanisms behind system headers including
other system headers.

Moreover, I didn't find 'ptrdiff_t' defined in any of my systems headers
I used 'user@debian:/usr/include$ grep -rn ptrdiff_t'. Does GCC do magic?

What's the problem with that? How should I fix the patch?

My system: Debian bullseye/sid; x86-64; gcc 10; libc 2.31-3

Thanks,

Alex


> misc/sys/param.h | 60 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 1 file changed, 60 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/misc/sys/param.h b/misc/sys/param.h
> index d7c319b157..88e95c2dba 100644
> --- a/misc/sys/param.h
> +++ b/misc/sys/param.h
> @@ -102,5 +102,65 @@
> #define MIN(a,b) (((a)<(b))?(a):(b))
> #define MAX(a,b) (((a)>(b))?(a):(b))
>
> +/* Macros related to the types of variables */
> +# define __is_same_type(_A, _B) __builtin_types_compatible_p(__typeof__(_A), \
> + __typeof__(_B))
> +# define __is_array(_Arr) (!__is_same_type((_Arr), &(_Arr)[0]))
> +
> +/* Macros for embedding _Static_assert() in expressions */
> +# if __STDC_VERSION__ >= 201112L
> +# define __must_be(_Expr, _Msg) ( \
> + 0 * (int)sizeof( \
> + struct { \
> + _Static_assert((_Expr), _Msg); \
> + char _ISO_C_forbids_a_struct_with_no_members; \
> + } \
> + ) \
> +)
> +# else
> +# define __must_be(_Expr, _Msg) ( \
> + 0 * (int)sizeof( \
> + struct { \
> + int : (-!(_Expr)); \
> + char _ISO_C_forbids_a_struct_with_no_members; \
> + } \
> + ) \
> +)
> +# endif
> +
> +# define __must_be_array(_Arr) __must_be(__is_array(_Arr), "Must be an array!")
> +
> +/* Macros for array sizes */
> +#if defined(__cplusplus)
> +# if __cplusplus >= 201103L
> +template<typename _Tp, std::size_t _Len>
> + constexpr inline std::size_t
> + nitems(const _Tp(&)[_Len]) __THROW
> + {
> + return _Len;
> + }
> +
> +template<typename _Tp, std::size_t _Len>
> + constexpr inline std::ptrdiff_t
> + snitems(const _Tp(&)[_Len]) __THROW
> + {
> + return _Len;
> + }
> +
> +# else /* __cplusplus < 201103L */
> +template<typename _Tp, std::size_t _Len>
> + char
> + (&__nitems_chararr(const _Tp(&)[_Len]))[_Len];
> +
> +# define nitems(_Arr) (sizeof(__nitems_chararr(_Arr)))
> +# define snitems(_Arr) (static_cast<std::ptrdiff_t>(nitems(_Arr)))
> +# endif /* __cplusplus < 201103L */
> +
> +#else /* !defined(__cplusplus) */
> +# define __array_len(_Arr) (sizeof(_Arr) / sizeof((_Arr)[0]))
> +# define nitems(_Arr) (__array_len(_Arr) + __must_be_array(_Arr))
> +# define snitems(_Arr) ((ptrdiff_t)nitems(_Arr))
> +#endif /* !defined(__cplusplus) */
> +
>
> #endif /* sys/param.h */
>