socklen_t (Re: Multicast problems [PATCH])

[Stefan Farfeleder]

On Wed, Jun 20, 2007 at 08:34:46AM -0400, Daniel Eischen wrote:
>  On Wed, 20 Jun 2007, Stefan Farfeleder wrote:
> 
> > On Tue, Jun 19, 2007 at 06:36:39PM -0400, Daniel Eischen wrote:
> >
> >>  POSIX states that:
> >>
> >>    o The <sys/socket.h> header shall define the type socklen_t,
> >>      which is an integer type of width of at least 32 bits; see
> >>      APPLICATION USAGE.
> >>
> >>  and goes on to state:
> >>
> >>    o The <sys/socket.h> header shall define the unsigned integer
> >>      type sa_family_t.
> >>
> >>  This seems to imply that our socklen_t should not be an unsigned
> >>  integer (uint32_t), but a signed integer.  In APPLICATION USAGE,
> >>  POSIX states:
> >
> > I don't understand how you come to that conclusion.  Why does not
> > mentioning whether socklen_t is signed or unsigned imply it should be
> > signed?
> 
>  Because it explicitly says unsigned for sa_family_t and does not
>  say unsigned for socklen_t.  To me, "integer" means a C (signed)
>  integer.

It doesn't say signed or unsigned for socklen_t because both are
allowed.  Eg. regoff_t in <regex.h> is explicitly defined as a "signed
integer type".  I'm sure there are more, that's just the first one I
found.

Stefan