sizeof(tribool) > sizeof(bool) * 2

[anonymous]

I was wondering why tribool is 4 times larger than a simple bool (tested with msvc10 in 32bit and g++ 4.6.2 on 64bit). By looking at the sourcecode I am suspecting the internal enum always gets compiled as a 4byte int. When using the similar boost::optional<bool> I get at least as good as the naive implementation using two bools, but actually I was expecting a class tribool to be sizeof(bool) *and* encode the third value in the 7 unused bits of the single bool member field.

If this has been a design decision I think this is a decision that should be documented.

[James E. King, III]

The class was created before C++11 scoped enums where it would have been possible to make this a single byte or even 2 bits. As such, given the age of this request and the length of time the class has been around, the need for backwards compatibility, and the relative disinterest in the ticket, I am closing this out.