BUG: ios::internal Adds No Fill Characters for int and long

• Microsoft C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE), included with: - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.5, 1.51 - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, versions 1.0, 2.0, 2.1, 4.0,

       4.1, 4.2, 5.0 on the following platform:
       - x86
  

SYMPTOMS

Using member function ios::flags() with flag ios::internal fails to add fill characters after the leading sign but before the value. This only occurs for negative integers or negative long integers. For other data types and positive integers or positive long integers, the flag works correctly.

The following is output from the sample program given under "MORE INFORMATION":

   --- Output Starts ---

+          1234      // Correct, positive integer with space between
                        + and 1234.
+          1234      // Correct, positive long integer.
+      1234.000      // Correct, positive float.
+      1234.000      // Correct, positive double.
          -1234      // Incorrect, negative integer with no space
                        between - and 1234.
          -1234      // Incorrect, negative long integer.
-     1.23e+003      // Correct, negative float in scientific notation.
-     1.23e+003      // Correct, negative double.

   --- Output Ends ---

RESOLUTION

Cast the integer or long integer values to float or double values, and use manipulator setprecision(0) and ios flag ios::fixed. See the sample code in the "More Information" section of this article.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Sample Code to Reproduce Problem

   /* Compile options needed: none
   */

   #include        <IOSTREAM.H>
   #include        <IOMANIP.H>

   #pragma         warning( disable : 4270 )
   #define         WIDTH   20

   void main( void )
   {
     int i = 1234;

     cout.flags( ios::showpos | ios::internal );
     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (int) i << endl;
     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (long) i << endl;

     cout.precision(3);
     cout.flags( ios::showpos | ios::internal | ios::fixed );
     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (float) i << endl;
     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (double) i << endl;

     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (int)-i << endl;  // Problem
     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (long)-i << endl; // Problem

     // The following two lines show how to work around the problem.
     // cout << setprecision(0) << setw(WIDTH) <<  (float)-i << endl;
     // cout << setprecision(0) << setw(WIDTH) <<  (float)-i << endl;

     cout.precision(3);
     cout.flags( ios::showpos | ios::internal | ios::scientific );
     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (float)-i << endl;
     cout << setw(WIDTH) << (double)-i << endl;
   }