🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Oct27.071744.4871@netcom.com>, rfg@netcom.com (Ronald F. Guilmette) writes:
> The Subject line say it all.  I've read section 3.2.1.2 and it appears that
> the authors of the ANSI/ISO C standard went out of their way to define
> the value of every conceivable arithmetic conversion *except* the conversion
> of a negative signed integral value to an unsigned integral value of the
> same size.

You're misreading 3.2.1.2.  The relevant section says:

	When a signed integer is converted to an unsigned integer
	with equal or greater size, if the value of the signed
	integer is nonnegative, its value is unchanged. 
	Otherwise: if the unsigned integer has greater size,
	the signed integer is first promoted to the signed
	integer corresponding to the unsigned integer; the
	value is converted to unsigned by adding to it one
	greater than the largest unsigned number that can be
	represented in the type with smaller size.

Note carefully the punctuation in the last sentence: "otherwise"
qualifies the whole sentence, but the following "if" only qualifies
the part up to the semicolon; the part after the semicolon applies to
all conversions of negative values, not just those where the unsigned
type has greater size.  So, to answer your question, the value of 
"(unsigned) -1" is UINT_MAX.
----
Larry Jones, SDRC, 2000 Eastman Dr., Milford, OH  45150-2789  513-576-2070
larry.jones@sdrc.com  or  ...uunet!sdrc!larry.jones
I don't need to do a better job.  I need better P.R. on the
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