c++ - Does reinterpret_casting an integral to a pointer type and back yield the same value?

Question

According to http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/reinterpret_cast, it is known that reinterpret_cast a pointer to an integral of sufficient size and back yield the same value. I'm wondering whether the converse is also true by the standards. That is, does reinterpret_cast an integral to a pointer type of sufficient size and back yield the same value?

Answer 1

No, that is not guaranteed by the standard. Quoting all parts of C++14 (n4140) [expr.reinterpret.cast] which concern pointer–integer conversions, emphasis mine:

4 A pointer can be explicitly converted to any integral type large enough to hold it. The mapping function is implementation-defined. [ Note: It is intended to be unsurprising to those who know the addressing structure of the underlying machine. —end note ] ...

5 A value of integral type or enumeration type can be explicitly converted to a pointer. A pointer converted to an integer of sufficient size (if any such exists on the implementation) and back to the same pointer type will have its original value; mappings between pointers and integers are otherwise implementation-defined. [ Note: Except as described in 3.7.4.3, the result of such a conversion will not be a safely-derived pointer value. —end note ]

So starting with an integral value and converting it to a pointer and back (assuming no size issues) is implementation-defined. Which means you must consult your compiler's documentation to learn whether such a round trip preserves values or not. As such, it is certainly not portable.