How to combine static_assert with sizeof and stringify?

Question

Memory usage is quite critical in my application. Therefore I have specific asserts that check for the memory size at compile time and give a static_assert if the size is different from what we considered correct before.

I have defined a macro like this:

#define CHECKMEM(mytype, size) static_assert((sizeof(objectType) == size)), "Size incorrect for " #mytype "!");

This macro makes it very easy to write this:

CHECKMEM(Book,144);
CHECKMEM(Library,80);

The problem is that when this static_assert goes off, it might be quite difficult to find out what the new size should be (e.g. by using the hidden compiler option "/d1 reportAllClassLayout"). It would be much handier if I could include the actual size, so instead of:

Size incorrect for Book!

It would show

Size incorrect for Book! (expected 144, size is 152)

I tried writing something like this:

#define CHECKMEM(mytype, size) static_assert((sizeof(objectType) == size)), "Size incorrect for " #mytype "! (expected" #size ", size is " #sizeof(mytype) ")");

But you can't use the stringize (#) operator on a function call.

I also tried adding the double-stringize trick, like this:

#define STR1(x) #x 
#define STR2(x) STR1(x) 
#define CHECKMEM(mytype, size) static_assert((sizeof(objectType) == size)), "Size incorrect for " #mytype "! (expected" #size ", size is " STR2(sizeof(mytype)) ")");

But instead of printing size is 152 it prints size is sizeof(Book).

Is there a way to stringify the result of sizeof in a static_assert?

The trouble is that the second argument to `static_assert` must be a string literal and you cannot build such it in the preprocessor, as you can't use sizeof there. — pmr, Jul 17 '12 at 16:27

score 28 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 17 '12 at 16:49

I'd use dispatching on a function template to do the checking:

#include <cstddef>

template <typename ToCheck, std::size_t ExpectedSize, std::size_t RealSize = sizeof(ToCheck)>
void check_size() {
  static_assert(ExpectedSize == RealSize, "Size is off!");
}

struct foo
{
  char bla[16];
};

int main()
{
  check_size<foo, 8>();
  return 0;
}

Results in:

In instantiation of ‘void check_size() [with ToCheck = foo; long unsigned int ExpectedSize = 8ul; long unsigned int RealSize = 16ul]’:
bla.cpp:15:22:   required from here
bla.cpp:5:1: error: static assertion failed: Size is off!

The debugging information is in the template parameters of the back-trace.

If this is truly better, you will have to decide and it also depends on the compiler. It also enables you to hide the expected size with a template map, to sum up to a max size and other fancy things.

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 17 '12 at 16:21

8

Depending on your compiler, templates may be able to help:

template<int s, int t> struct check_size {
  static_assert(s == t, "wrong size");
};
check_size<2+2, 5> doubleplusungood;

gcc outputs:

prog.cpp: In instantiation of 'check_size<4, 5>':
prog.cpp:5:20:   instantiated from here
prog.cpp:2:3: error: static assertion failed: "wrong size"

answered Jul 17 '12 at 16:21

ecatmur

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plus one for very creative example, it's very easy to understand – Netherwire Dec 05 '19 at 16:04

score 2 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:47

2

As you discovered, the problem is here (also see this very similar question) :

#define CHECKMEM(mytype, size)  #sizeof(mytype)

It is not possible to do, because the stringification is done by the preprocessor, and sizeof is evaluated during the compilation.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:47

Community

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1

answered Jul 17 '12 at 16:35

BЈовић

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SergeS · Answer 4 · 2023-03-17T14:07:55.203

Here's solution to make compiler output both compared values and specific message in static assert.

#define CAT2(a, b) a##b
#define CAT1(a, b) CAT2(a, b)
#define UNIQUE_ID CAT1(_uid_, __COUNTER__)
#define static_assert_size(VAL, LOW, UP, MSG)               \
  namespace UNIQUE_ID {                                     \
  template <size_t Val, size_t LowBound, size_t UpBound>    \
  struct static_assert_size_ { \
    static_assert(Val >= LowBound && Val <= UpBound, MSG);  \
  }; [[maybe_unused]] static  static_assert_size_<VAL, LOW, UP> sa;                  \                                                     
  };

So we can check size this way:

static_assert_size(impl_size, sizeof(Impl), sizeof(Impl)+32, "impl_size needs to be changed");

and get the output on assertion error:

static assertion failed: impl_size needs to be changed In instantiation of ‘struct uid_0::static_assert_size<512, 112, 144>’: in expansion of macro ‘static_assert_size’ ‘(512 <= 144)’ evaluates to false in expansion of macro ‘static_assert_size’

When linking multiple translation units which use `static_assert_size` you will get a **'multiple definition' error** (see [example](https://godbolt.org/z/fr7q4heh4)). That is because the `__COUNTER__` restarts for each translation unit. One may overcome this by declaring `sa` `static`. But this can give you an 'unused variable' warning or error. Unfortunately `#pragma`s, which may be used to locally disable that diagnostic, can not be part of a macro definition. — user5534993, Mar 17 '23 at 10:14
Thanks to @user5534993 for spotting the case and problem. Fortunately `[[maybe_unused]]` works. So I edited main post and solution now supports multiple translation. — SergeS, Mar 17 '23 at 14:14

Dustin Spicuzza · Answer 5 · 2019-12-31T23:27:35.680

Here's an alternative header-only solution if you can modify the struct's definition a bit and don't mind some ugliness.

template <int RealSize = 0, int ExpectedSize = 0>
struct _MyStruct {
    static_assert(RealSize == ExpectedSize, "size is invalid");

    int x;
};

typedef _MyStruct<sizeof(_MyStruct<>), 4> MyStruct;

clang outputs:

prog.cpp:4:5: error: static_assert failed "size is invalid"
    static_assert(RealSize == ExpectedSize, "size is invalid");
    ^             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
prog.cpp:12:14: note: in instantiation of template class '_MyStruct<4, 8>' requested here
    MyStruct m;

One caveat here is that the check will only occur if you instantiate the type somewhere -- just using a pointer won't trigger the error, so definitely not a great fit for all situations!

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jan 26 '21 at 20:45

A simple practical solution is to use 2 static_assert-s:

#define CHECKMEM(mytype, size) \
static_assert( sizeof(mytype) <= (size), "Size of " #mytype " is greater than " #size "!" ); \
static_assert( sizeof(mytype) >= (size), "Size of " #mytype " is less than "    #size "!" )

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 17 '23 at 11:59

In case you want to place the static assertion outside of a function body (in contrast to the answer above), you may use this alternative checker:

#include <cstddef>

#define CONCATENATE_DETAIL(x, y) x##y
#define CONCATENATE(x, y) CONCATENATE_DETAIL(x, y)
#define MAKE_UNIQUE(x) CONCATENATE(x, CONCATENATE(_, __COUNTER__))

template <std::size_t RealSize, std::size_t ExpectedSize>
void checkSize() {
  static_assert(RealSize == ExpectedSize, "real size != expected size");
}

#define CHECK_SIZE(type, expected_size) \
  inline void MAKE_UNIQUE(checkSize) () { \
    checkSize<sizeof(type), expected_size>(); \
  }

Example usage:

struct MyStruct { std::byte a[42]; };
CHECK_SIZE( MyStruct, 42 ); // check type

How to combine static_assert with sizeof and stringify?

7 Answers7

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