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4063. Freestanding std::char_traits<char>::eof depends on non-freestanding EOF

Section: 27.2.4.2 [char.traits.specializations.char] Status: New Submitter: Jiang An Opened: 2024-04-03 Last modified: 2024-05-08

Priority: 2

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Discussion:

Currently EOF is not yet freestanding, because it's only specified to be provided in <stdio.h> in C, or together with <cstdio> in C++.

However, std::char_traits<char>::eof (required to be freestanding since C++26 by P2338R4) is required to return the value of EOF. It's unclear what is expected to be done in a freestanding implementation.

Related to LLVM issue #85158.

[2024-05-08; Reflector poll]

Set priority to 2 after reflector poll.

"The eof, not_eof, to_int_type and to_char_type members of char_traits are only needed by iostreams, so I see no reason for them to be freestanding. In libstdc++ eof and not_eof depend on hosted, so are not freestanding. Now that we can have partially freestanding classes in the library, that seems like the right solution here."

"int_type/char_type/eof is kind of poor-man (or C)'s optional<char_type>. Inclined to support it in freestanding on that basis, even if the only standard component that uses it is iostreams."

"No implementer is confused about the value of eof()/EOF. Having the value specified in the non-freestanding part of the standard should be good enough."

"Prefer to make EOF freestanding, but don't feel strongly about it. The important thing is keeping string_view working."

Proposed resolution: