c++ - uint8_t iostream behavior

Question

Abstract: I was expecting the code: cout << uint8_t(0); to print "0", but it doesn't print anything.

Long version: When I try to stream uint8_t objects to cout, I get strange characters with gcc. Is this expected behavior? Could it be that uint8_t is an alias for some char-based type? See compiler/system notes in the code example.

// compile and run with:
// g++ test-uint8.cpp -std=c++11 && ./a.out
//                    -std=c++0x (for older gcc versions)
/**
 * prints out the following with compiler:
 *     gcc (GCC) 4.7.2 20120921 (Red Hat 4.7.2-2)
 * on the system:
 *     Linux 3.7.9-101.fc17.x86_64
 * Note that the first print statement uses an unset uint8_t
 * and therefore the behaviour is undefined. (Included here for
 * completeness)

> g++ test-uint8.cpp -std=c++11 && ./a.out
>>>?<<<    >>>194<<<
>>><<<    >>>0<<<
>>><<<    >>>0<<<
>>><<<    >>>0<<<
>>><<<    >>>1<<<
>>><<<    >>>2<<<

 *
 **/

#include <cstdint>
#include <iostream>

void print(const uint8_t& n)
{
    std::cout << ">>>" << n                 << "<<<    "
              << ">>>" << (unsigned int)(n) << "<<<
";
}

int main()
{
    uint8_t a;
    uint8_t b(0);
    uint8_t c = 0;
    uint8_t d{0};
    uint8_t e = 1;
    uint8_t f = 2;
    for (auto i : {a,b,c,d,e,f})
    {
        print(i);
    }
}

Answer 1

uint8_t is an alias for unsigned char, and the iostreams have special overloads for chars that print out the characters rather than formatting numbers.

The conversion to integer inhibits this.