I know that size of various data types can change depending on which system I am on.

I use XP 32bits, and using the `sizeof()` operator in C++, it seems like `long double` is 12 bytes, and `double` is 8.

However, most major sources states that `long double` is 8 bytes, and the range is therefore the same as a `double`.

How come I have 12 bytes? If `long double` is indeed 12 bytes, doesn&#39;t this extends the range of value also? Or the long signature is only used (the compiler figures) when the value exceed the range of a double, and thus, extends beyond 8 bytes?


long double vs double

I am using the latest gcc with Netbeans on Windows. Why doesn&#39;t `long double` work? Is the `printf` specifier `%lf` wrong?

Code:

    #include &lt;stdio.h&gt;
    
    int main(void)
    {
        float aboat = 32000.0;
        double abet = 5.32e-5;
        long double dip = 5.32e-5;
    
        printf(&quot;%f can be written %e\n&quot;, aboat, aboat);
        printf(&quot;%f can be written %e\n&quot;, abet, abet);
        printf(&quot;%lf can be written %le\n&quot;, dip, dip);
    
        return 0;
    }

Output:

    32000.000000 can be written 3.200000e+004
    0.000053 can be written 5.320000e-005
    -1950228512509697500000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
    000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.000000
    can be written 2.725000e+002
    Press [Enter] to close the terminal ...


All Long Double Solutions on Gang of Coders

Total of 2 Long Double Solutions

long double vs double

printf and long double