CPP Unions
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdint>
union S
{
std::int32_t n; // occupies 4 bytes
std::uint16_t s[2]; // occupies 4 bytes
std::uint8_t c; // occupies 1 byte
}; // the whole union occupies 4 bytes
int main()
{
S s = {0x12345678}; // initializes the first member, s.n is now the active member
// at this point, reading from s.s or s.c is undefined behavior
std::cout << std::hex << "s.n = " << s.n << '\n';
s.s[0] = 0x0011; // s.s is now the active member
// at this point, reading from n or c is UB but most compilers define it
std::cout << "s.c is now " << +s.c << '\n' // 11 or 00, depending on platform
<< "s.n is now " << s.n << '\n'; // 12340011 or 00115678
}
JasimGamer