[issue19904] Add 128-bit integer support to struct

[Fil Mackay]

New submission from Fil Mackay:

I've been looking at adding 128-bit support to the struct module. Currently only named integer types are supported, which vary in implementation. These include:

short
int
long
long long

Depending on the platform, none may translate to 128-bit integer (the case with all platforms today?).

One approach would be to make a new type that relates specifically to 128-bit integer, side-stepping the naming approaches to integer in C.

The other, would be to make new types for all integer sizes that relate to specific sizes, instead of relying on C namings. Much bigger implications?

I propose creating new types:

"o": __int128_t
"O": __uint128_t
"t": __int256_t (why not?)
"T": __uint256_t
"v": __int512_t (what, too far?)
"V": __int512_t

What implications are there here in killing the connection between a C named type and a specific size?

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components: ctypes
messages: 205344
nosy: fil
priority: normal
severity: normal
status: open
title: Add 128-bit integer support to struct
type: enhancement
versions: Python 2.7, Python 3.4, Python 3.5

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Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org>
<http://bugs.python.org/issue19904>
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