Public Comment Number PC-UK0114

ISO/IEC CD 9899 (SC22N2620) Public Comment

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Date: 1998-02-25
Author: N.M Maclaren
Author Affiliation: Self
Postal Address:
    University of Cambridge,
    Computer Laboratory,
    New Museums Site,
    Pembroke Street,
    Cambridge CB3 3QG,
    United Kingdom
E-mail Address: <nmm1@cam.ac.uk>
Telephone Number: +44 1223 334761
Fax Number:       +44 1223 334679
Number of individual comments: 1


Comment 1. 

Category: Request for information/clarification

Committee Draft subsection: 7.14.7, 7.18, 7.19

Title: Ambiguity in multibyte character functions


Detailed description:

The wording of 7.14.7 paragraph 1 is historical, and very confusing in C9X.
In particular, it implies that it may apply more generally than just this
section (i.e. to 7.18 Wide character classification and mapping utilities
<wctype.h> and 7.19 Extended multibyte and wide-character utilities
<wchar.h>).  This is compounded by the fact that the latter two do not seem
to define their initial shift state (except in 7.19.7.3 and 7.19.7.4).

Some significant clarification of this point is needed, as any
misunderstanding has fairly drastic effects.  I cannot suggest wording, as
I am not entirely sure what the committee intends.