Sign-Magnitude Method of a signed 16bit int

[kardon33]

I am running in Linux x86 and I am wondering if there is a way to specify to use the Sign-Magnitude Method for representing a signed 16bit int.

When i use int16_t as a data type it does not use that method but I need it to.

[Raj K]

Can you elaborate your question. I did not understand your requirement.

[weaknessforcats]

Both C and C++ use sign magnitude. It's a fancy way of saying the left bit is the sign bit. When the left bit is ON you have a negative number.

BTW: Negative values are usually 2's complement. Postive values are not.

[donbock]

The most common technique for encoding signed integers is two's complement. However, it is not the only way to do it. One of the other techniques is signed-magnitude. In signed-magnitude encoding, the bit patterns for +n and -n differ only in the single sign bit. The question is whether this is what kardon33 meant by signed magnitude.

[kardon33]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes DoBock, I am trying to use the signed-magnitude method.

Currently when I run my program it is not encoded in that method. I am wondering if it is possible to specify the encoding method.

Currently I am using a work around by using an unsigned 16bit and limiting the domain to 0-32767 and then manually setting the first bit using bitwise operations.

How ever this could lead to errors without strict checking what im setting.

[donbock]

No. C/C++ neither reveal nor allow you any control over the underlying representation of signed numbers.

[kardon33]

Alright, thanks!