Constants

libsemigroups contains certain constant values, which are described in this section. The values below correspond to integer values (in some sense). All of the constants in this section can be implicitly converted to any integral type, and have a value specified by

std::numeric_limits<T>::max/min()

minus a compile-time offset (where T is a member function template, and can hence be any integral type), and we overload operator==, operator!=, operator<, and operator> the constants defined below and for certain integral type. So, the constants can be used as if it was an integral type (say, -1, although the precise value is not defined), for the purposes of storing it in a data member and for comparisons. This allows us to avoid duplicating code for constants like UNDEFINED, and makes UNDEFINED more straightforward to use.

This approach also has some drawbacks, if, for example, UNDEFINED is implicitly converted to two different integral types and then these are compared, this will yield false, and so == of UNDEFINED and itself is not transitive, so beware.

using namespace libsemigroups;
UNDEFINED != 0;                        // true
POSITIVE_INFINITY > 0;                 // true
POSITIVE_INFINITY > NEGATIVE_INFINITY; // true

LimitMax const libsemigroups::LIMIT_MAX

This variable represents the maximum value that certain function parameters can have.

LIMIT_MAX is comparable via ==, !=, <, > with any integral value (signed or unsigned), and is comparable to any other constant via == and !=, but not by < and >.

Undefined const libsemigroups::UNDEFINED

This variable is used to indicate that a value is undefined.

UNDEFINED is comparable with any integral value (signed or unsigned) or constant via == and != but not via < or >.

NegativeInfinity const libsemigroups::NEGATIVE_INFINITY

This variable represents \(-\infty\).

NEGATIVE_INFINITY is comparable via ==, !=, <, > with any signed integral value and with POSITIVE_INFINITY, and is comparable to any other constant via == and !=.

PositiveInfinity const libsemigroups::POSITIVE_INFINITY

This variable represents \(\infty\).

POSITIVE_INFINITY is comparable via ==, !=, <, > with any integral value (signed or unsigned) and with NEGATIVE_INFINITY, and is comparable to any other constant via == and !=, but not by < and >.

constexpr std::chrono::nanoseconds libsemigroups::FOREVER = std::chrono::nanoseconds::max()

A pseudonym for std::chrono::nanoseconds::max().