Specifying the underlying enum type in g++

[Axel Freyn]

Hello Jean-Claude,
On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 11:11:20AM -0400, Jean-Claude Gervais wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I am using gcc 4.1.2 and 4.3.2, looking for a way to specify the
> underlying type in a typedef enum declaration like so:
> 
> typedef enum : unsigned char { first_tag, second_tag, third_tag }
> my_enum_type;
> 
> The preceding statement compiles with visualc++ but not with g++
> 
> Is there a way?
As far as I know, in the current C++ standard it is impossible to
specify the underlying type explicitely - that's an extension of Visual
C++. 
Maybe you can use the compile-switch "-fshort-enums" of g++?
-fshort-enums
     Allocate to an "enum" type only as many bytes as it needs for the
     declared range of possible values.  Specifically, the "enum" type
     will be equivalent to the smallest integer type which has enough
     room.

Alternatively, you have to try a more modern version of gcc. This
feature will be integrated in the upcoming C++-standard, so maybe g++
4.5 already supports it?

HTH,

Axel