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Visual C++ Fundamental Types

Fundamental types in C++ are divided into three categories: integral, floating, and void. Integral

types are capable of handling whole numbers. Floating types are capable of specifying values

that may have fractional parts.

The voidtype describes an empty set of values. o variable of type voidcan be specified ! it isused primarily to declare functions that return no values or to declare generic pointers to untyped

or arbitrarily typed data.

The following table e"plains the restrictions on type si#es. These restrictions are independent of

the $icrosoft implementation.

Fundamental Types of the C++ Language

Category Type Contents

Integral charType charis an integral type that usually contains members of the

e"ecution character set ! in $icrosoft C++, this is %&CII.

The C++ compiler treats variables of type char, signedchar, and

unsignedcharas having different types. Variables of type charare

promoted to intas if they are type signedcharby default, unless the

'( compilation option is used. In this case they are treated as type

unsignedcharand are promoted to intwithout sign e"tension.

boolType boolis an integral type that can have one of the two values true

or false. Its si#e is unspecified.

shortType shortint)or simply short* is an integral type that is larger thanor eual to the si#e of type char, and shorter than or eual to the si#e

of type int.

b-ects of type shortcan be declared as signedshortor unsigned

short. Signed shortis a synonym for short.

intType intis an integral type that is larger than or eual to the si#e of

type shortint, and shorter than or eual to the si#e of type long.

b-ects of type intcan be declared as signedintor unsignedint.

Signedintis a synonym for int.

int n

&i#ed integer, where nis the si#e, in bits, of the integer variable. The

value of ncan be /, 01, 23, or 14. )__int nis a $icrosoft5specific6eyword.*

longType long)or longint* is an integral type that is larger than or eual

to the si#e of type int.

b-ects of type longcan be declared as signedlongor

unsignedlong. Signedlongis a synonym for long.

longlong 7arger than an unsigned long.

b-ects of type long longcan be declared as signedlong longor

unsignedlong long. Signedlong longis a synonym for long long.

Floating float Type floatis the smallest floating type.

double Type doubleis a floating type that is larger than or eual to typefloat, but shorter than or eual to the si#e of type longdouble

longdouble Type longdoubleis a floating type that is eual to type double.

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character__wchar_t

% variable of__wchar_tdesignates a wide5character or multibyte

character type. 9y default, wchar_tis a native type but you can use

'c:wchart5to ma6e wchar_ta typedef for unsigned short.

;se the 7 prefi" before a character or string constant to designate the

wide5character5type constant.

0 The representation of long doubleand doubleis identical.