Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience.
Accept
to the top
>
>
>
V1070. Signed value is converted to an …
menu mobile close menu
Analyzer diagnostics
General Analysis (C++)
General Analysis (C#)
General Analysis (Java)
Micro-Optimizations (C++)
Diagnosis of 64-bit errors (Viva64, C++)
Customer specific requests (C++)
MISRA errors
AUTOSAR errors
OWASP errors (C++)
OWASP errors (C#)
Problems related to code analyzer
Additional information
toggle menu Contents

V1070. Signed value is converted to an unsigned one with subsequent expansion to a larger type in ternary operator.

May 17 2021

This diagnostic rule applies to ternary operators whose second and third operands are integer types with different type modifiers - signed and unsigned. The warning is triggered when the ternary operator's result is saved as a larger unsigned type. If such conversion takes place, negative values become positive.

Take a look at the example below:

long long foo(signed int a, unsigned int b, bool c)
{
  return c ? a : b;
}

The compiler will process the code above according to C++ conversion rules. The ternary operator's second and third operands contain different types and the unsigned operand's size is no less than the signed one's - this is why the compiler will convert them to an unsigned type.

Thus, a signed variable with a negative value (for example, -1) will be cast to an unsigned type. In case of the 32-bit 'int' type, the resulting value is '0xFFFFFFFF'. Then this result will be converted to a larger integer type (the 64-bit 'long long' type). However, by then, the value will have lost its negative sign and will remain a positive number.

The problem also arises in cases when a ternary operator's result is converted to a larger-sized unsigned type:

unsigned long long f(signed int i, unsigned int ui, bool b)
{
  return b ? i : ui;
}

If the 'i' variable has a negative value (for example, -1), the ternary operator's result is '0xFFFFFFFF'. Then it will be cast to a larger unsigned type and the value will be '0x00000000FFFFFFFF'. Most likely, the developer expected to see '0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF' as the result.

This diagnostic is classified as:

close form

Fill out the form in 2 simple steps below:

Your contact information:

Step 1
Congratulations! This is your promo code!

Desired license type:

Step 2
Team license
Enterprise license
** By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement
close form
Request our prices
New License
License Renewal
--Select currency--
USD
EUR
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
Free PVS‑Studio license for Microsoft MVP specialists
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
To get the licence for your open-source project, please fill out this form
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
I am interested to try it on the platforms:
* By clicking this button you agree to our Privacy Policy statement

close form
check circle
Message submitted.

Your message has been sent. We will email you at


If you do not see the email in your inbox, please check if it is filtered to one of the following folders:

  • Promotion
  • Updates
  • Spam