sizeof(object) is different in ANSI and Unicode

[Sunil Menon]

Dear All,
A class having no member variables and only a method sizeof(object)
will return 1byte in ANSI and two bytes in Unicode.
I have the answer for this of how in works in ANSI. But I don't
know it returns two bytes in UniCode.
Please help...

For ANSI:
In ISO/ANSI C++ Standard, 5.3.3 § 1, it stays: "The sizeof operator
yields the number of bytes in the object representation of its
operand.(...)
the result of sizeof applied to any other fundamental type
(_basic.fundamental_) is implementation-defined."
[Note: in particular, sizeof(bool) and sizeof(wchar_t) are
implementation-defined. ..."sizeof(bool) is not required to be 1."
The value of sizeof(bool) can be anything between 1 and N, where N is
positive integer number (I suppose 0 is not a reasonable value). One
can
read this as "size of bool type can not be smaller than size of char
type, as sizeof(char) is guaranteed to be 1"]
A class having no member variables and only a method sizeof(object)
will return 1byte.
Reason:
The basic issue is addressability. So, as long as memory's smallest
unit is char (sizeof(char)==1 by definition); no addressable object
can use less storage, even if it only uses up a single bit. Member
functions don't add to the sizeof a class.
All objects must have sizeof of at least one. This is so that you can
form a pointer to an empty object that is distinct from a pointer to
another empty object.
Examples:
Suppose sizeof(char )==1 // always true
Suppose sizeof(int )==4
Suppose sizeof(void*)==4 // possibly size of virtual pointer

For a class with virtual function, size of a virtual function is a
size of pointer to function.
the common implementation has only one virtual pointer in each object.
This virtual pointer points to a virtual table. There is one virtual
table for the whole class. Think of the virtual table as static data.
The virtual table has N entries if there are N virtual funcs. Eg,

struct Thing
{
virtual ~Thing();
virtual void f() const;
void g();
virtual void h() const;

int i;
};

Assuming sizeof(int)==4 and sizeof(any pointer)==4, then
sizeof(Thing)==sizeof(Thing::vptr)+sizeof(Thing::i)==8.

But there is a virtual table containing 3 entries. The compiler
generates this table internally. A class has a virtual table only if
it has a virtual function. For nonvirtual functions, an object doesn't
have to keep reference to it. I think they're just a piece of code
that compiler resolve at compile time.

Thanks & Regards
Sunil

 

[John Carson]

Dear All,
A class having no member variables and only a method sizeof(object)
will return 1byte in ANSI and two bytes in Unicode.

Really? My quick test using VC++.Net 2002 gives a sizeof value of 1, not 2,
under Unicode.

I have the answer for this of how in works in ANSI. But I don't
know it returns two bytes in UniCode.
Please help...

For ANSI:
In ISO/ANSI C++ Standard, 5.3.3 § 1, it stays: "The sizeof operator
yields the number of bytes in the object representation of its
operand.(...)
the result of sizeof applied to any other fundamental type
(_basic.fundamental_) is implementation-defined."
[Note: in particular, sizeof(bool) and sizeof(wchar_t) are
implementation-defined. ..."sizeof(bool) is not required to be 1."

The quotation from the standard ends here. All the rest appears to be from
you or some other source. The standard says (section 1.8).

"a most derived object shall have a non-zero size and shall occupy one or
more bytes of storage"

Two bytes under Unicode would seem to satisfy this requirement. If there is
a compiler that yields a sizeof value of 2, then presumably it just pads the
class object for alignment and hence efficiency reasons.

 

[Sunil Menon]

Really? My quick test using VC++.Net 2002 gives a sizeof value of 1, not 2,

under Unicode.

Is VC++ .Net 2002 UniCode by default? Or is there some configuration u need to do?
Wot abt VC++ .Net 1.1?

I have both versions and I would like to try this too...

Thanks & Regards
Sunil

 

[Victor Bazarov]

Is VC++ .Net 2002 UniCode by default? Or is there some configuration u need to do?
Wot abt VC++ .Net 1.1?

I have both versions and I would like to try this too...

Please ask about it in microsoft.public.vc.ide_general newsgroup.
VC++ configuration is OT here.