Allowing signed integer overflows in C/C++

Question

I want signed integers to overflow when they become too big. How do I achieve that without using the next biggest datatype (or when I am already at int128_t)?

For example using 8bit integers 19*12 is commonly 260, but I want the result 1 11 10 01 00 with the 9th bit cut off, thus -27.

Answer 1

Signed overflow is undefined in C, and that's for real.

One solution follows:

signed_result = (unsigned int)one_argument + (unsigned int)other_argument;

The above solution involves implementation-defined behavior in the final conversion from unsigned to int but do not invoke undefined behavior. With most compilation platforms' implementation-defined choices, the result is exactly the two's complement result that you expect.

Finally, an optimizing compiler for one of the numerous platforms on which implementation-defined choices force the compiler to give you the behavior you expect will compile the above code to the obvious assembly instruction.

Alternately, if you are using gcc, then the options -fwrapv/-fno-strict-overflow may be exactly what you want. They provide an additional guarantee with respect to the standard that signed overflows wrap around. I'm not sure about the difference between the two.

Answer 2

Signed integer overflow is undefined according to both C and C++ standards. There's no way to accomplish what you want without a specific platform in mind.