Basic Data Types

Table of Contents

• About
• Bool
• Int
• Float
• Char
• Limit
• Further Reading

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:

• maxon::Float32 is float.
• maxon::Float64 is double.
• maxon::Float is maxon::Float64.

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.

See also String Manual.

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;
}

Further Reading

• Data & Algorithms
• Vectors
• Matrices
• Mathematical Functions