Re: data types & efficiency

[Vinzent 'Gadget' Hoefler <nntp-2004-03@t-domaingrabbing.de>]

Davide wrote:

>speaking in general, if I have a *XX-bit* architecture for which I'm
>developing software in Ada, and I need to declare some *scalar* (not records
>nor arrays etc.) variable eg. integer: what should be better to do:
>
>1) always declare that variable as the *smallest* data type that will hold
>the highest value of its possible range (example: if it can assume values
>from 0 to 150 then declare it as an 8-bit integer);
>
>2) tend to declare the variable as the machine "native" data type,  i.e.
>XX-bit represented.

3) Declare the type by specifying its range and let the compiler
figure out what could be more efficient on the hardware.


Vinzent.