About

The MAXON API defines multiple primitive mathematical data types. These data types are the building blocks for more complex data types.

Note: These data types should be used instead of the standard C++ data types.

Bool

maxon::Bool stores a Boolean value.

maxon::Bool is a bool.

    // This example stores and receives a Boolean value in a maxon::Data container.
 
    maxon::Data data;
    data.Set(maxon::Bool(true)) iferr_return;
 
    const maxon::Bool boolean = data.Get<maxon::Bool>() iferr_return;
    DiagnosticOutput("Boolean Value: @", boolean);
 
    if (boolean)
      DiagnosticOutput("Value is \"true\".");

Int

Different integer type of the sizes 16, 32 and 64 bit are defined:

maxon::Int16 is int16_t.
maxon::UInt16 is uint16_t.
maxon::Int32 is int32_t.
maxon::UInt32 is uint32_t.
maxon::Int64 is int64_t.
maxon::UInt64 is uint64_t.
maxon::Int is maxon::Int64.
maxon::UInt is maxon::UInt64.

    // This example stores and receives an integer value in a maxon::Data container.
 
    maxon::Data data;
    data.Set(maxon::Int64(123)) iferr_return;
 
    const maxon::Int64 integer = data.Get<maxon::Int64>() iferr_return;
    DiagnosticOutput("Integer Value: @", integer);

If such a integer value should be converted to a floating point value one must consider the limits of such conversion. Values outside that limit will result in an overflow.

maxon::MINVALUE_INT32_FLOAT32: Minimum maxon::Float32 value that can be represented by maxon::Int32.
maxon::MAXVALUE_INT32_FLOAT32: Maximum maxon::Float32 value that can be represented by maxon::Int32.
maxon::MINVALUE_INT64_FLOAT64: Minimum maxon::Float64 value that can be represented by maxon::Int64.
maxon::MAXVALUE_INT64_FLOAT64: Maximum maxon::Float64 value that can be represented by maxon::Int64.

Note: For bigger integer values use maxon::BigInteger.

Float

Floating point data types are available in 32 and 64 bit size:

Note: A number can also be cast into a maxon::Float using the "_f" operator.

    // This example stores and receives a float value in a maxon::Data container.
 
    maxon::Data data;
    data.Set(maxon::Float32(123.4)) iferr_return;
 
    const maxon::Float32 floataValue = data.Get<maxon::Float32>() iferr_return;
    DiagnosticOutput("Float Value: @", floataValue);

Floating point data is a complex data type that could be corrupted.

maxon::CheckFloat(): Returns true if the given floating point number is valid.
maxon::RepairFloat(): Repairs the given floating point number.

Two floating point values (that are not exactly zero) should not be compared with "==".

maxon::CompareFloatTolerant(): Returns true if the given values are the same or nearly the same.

    // This example compares two floating point values.
 
    const maxon::Float a = 0.35;
    const maxon::Float b = 0.15;
    const maxon::Float c = 0.5;
 
    const maxon::Float sum = a + b;
 
    // this may or may not work
    if (sum == c)
      DiagnosticOutput("Vales are the same.");
 
    // this will work
    if (maxon::CompareFloatTolerant(sum, c))
      DiagnosticOutput("Vales are the same.");

Different floating point data types have different minimum and maximum values:

maxon::MINVALUE_FLOAT32: Minimum value a maxon::Float32 can represent.
maxon::MAXVALUE_FLOAT32: Maximum value a maxon::Float32 can represent.
maxon::MINVALUE_FLOAT64: Minimum value a maxon::Float64 can represent.
maxon::MAXVALUE_FLOAT64: Maximum value a maxon::Float64 can represent.
maxon::MINVALUE_FLOAT: Minimum value a maxon::Float can represent.
maxon::MAXVALUE_FLOAT: Maximum value a maxon::Float can represent.

Multiplying two float values could result in an overflow. These constants define safe ranges that can be used without the risk of such an overflow.

maxon::MINRANGE_FLOAT32: Safe minimum range for maxon::Float32.
maxon::MAXRANGE_FLOAT32: Safe maximum range for maxon::Float32.
maxon::MINRANGE_FLOAT64: Safe minimum range for maxon::Float64.
maxon::MAXRANGE_FLOAT64: Safe maximum range for maxon::Float64.
maxon::MINRANGE_FLOAT: Safe minimum range for maxon::Float.
maxon::MAXRANGE_FLOAT: Safe maximum range for maxon::Float.

When a floating point value is converted into another scalar value it could easily exceed the range of valid values of the target type. A safe conversation is done with:

maxon::SafeConvert(): Safely converts float value into another scalar value.

    // This example converts a floating point result safely to a integer result.
 
    const maxon::Int32 range = 1000;
    const maxon::Float percentage = 0.15;
 
    const maxon::Float res = percentage * maxon::Float(range);
 
    const maxon::Int32 intRes = maxon::SafeConvert<maxon::Int32>(res);

Char

A character is a single symbol.

maxon::Char is char.
maxon::UChar is unsigned char.
maxon::Utf32Char is char32_t.
maxon::Utf16Char is char16_t
maxon::SysChar is char.

Limit

The Limit template class defines the minimum and maximum vale a given scalar type can store. An example is maxon::LIMIT<maxon::Int64>:

maxon::LIMIT<maxon::Int64>::MIN: The minimum value of the data type.
maxon::LIMIT<maxon::Int64>::MAX: The maximum value of the data type.

// This example function searches the minimum and maximum value stored in the given maxon::BaseArray.
// To compare a stored value the reference values are initialized with LIMIT<>::MIN and LIMIT<>::MAX.
 
static maxon::Result<void> GetMinMax(maxon::BaseArray<maxon::Int>* values, maxon::Int& min, maxon::Int& max)
{
  if (!values)
    return maxon::NullptrError(MAXON_SOURCE_LOCATION);
 
  min = maxon::LIMIT<maxon::Int>::MAX;
  max = maxon::LIMIT<maxon::Int>::MIN;
 
  for (const maxon::Int& value :* values)
  {
    if (value < min)
      min = value;
 
    if (value > max)
      max = value;
  }
 
  return maxon::OK;
}

Table of Contents

About

Bool

Int

Float

Char

Limit

Further Reading