# Size of integer

- Thread: https://externals.io/message/9330
- Original archive: https://news-web.php.net/php.internals/9330
- Started by Lester Caine on 2004-04-17T19:47:52+00:00
- Messages: 4
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## #9331 — Andrey Hristov — 2004-04-17T19:47:23+00:00

URL: https://externals.io/message/9330#9331 · In reply to: #9330

Lester Caine wrote:
> An interesting little question has pooped up.
> 
> How big is an integer?
> 
> Firebird uses BIGINT or INT_64 for generator values, and the new 
> ibase_gen_id in PHP5 returns that value as an integer.
> 
> Has any thought been given to managing 64bit field values in PHP5?
> 
Hi,
AFAIK ext/mysqli returns string in case the int value is too big to fit into 32 bits.
After that it's up to the user to decide what to do -> cast to float or use bcmath .

HTH,
Andrey

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## #9330 — Lester Caine — 2004-04-17T19:47:52+00:00

URL: https://externals.io/message/9330#9330

An interesting little question has pooped up.

How big is an integer?

Firebird uses BIGINT or INT_64 for generator values, and the new 
ibase_gen_id in PHP5 returns that value as an integer.

Has any thought been given to managing 64bit field values in PHP5?

-- 
Lester Caine
-----------------------------
L.S.Caine Electronic Services

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## #9332 — Lester Caine — 2004-04-17T20:03:58+00:00

URL: https://externals.io/message/9330#9332 · In reply to: #9331

Andrey Hristov wrote:

> Lester Caine wrote:
> 
> > […]

> AFAIK ext/mysqli returns string in case the int value is too big to fit 
> into 32 bits.
> After that it's up to the user to decide what to do -> cast to float or 
> use bcmath .

That will probably work for returning field values in a result set, the 
particular problem I am looking at is a function that is defined as 
returning an integer, but which could potentially contain a 64 bit value.

Is any work being done on handling THAT potential time bomb?

-- 
Lester Caine
-----------------------------
L.S.Caine Electronic Services

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## #9598 — Ard Biesheuvel — 2004-04-28T08:40:11+00:00

URL: https://externals.io/message/9330#9598 · In reply to: #9330

Lester Caine wrote:
> An interesting little question has pooped up.
> 
> How big is an integer?
> 
> Firebird uses BIGINT or INT_64 for generator values, and the new 
> ibase_gen_id in PHP5 returns that value as an integer.
> 
> Has any thought been given to managing 64bit field values in PHP5?
> 

Actually, this 'time bomb' has already been handled. If the generated 
value doesn't fit in a long, it will return a string. So on a 64-bit 
machine, this will never occur. On a 32-bit machine, the returned type 
of ibase_gen_id() will suddenly start returning strings. Please note 
that this is consistent with the behaviour of other ibase_*() functions 
that handle BIGINTs.

-- 
Ard