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Wireshark-dev: Re: [Wireshark-dev] [Wireshark-commits] rev 39143: /trunk/epan/dissectors/ /trun

From: "Maynard, Chris" <Christopher.Maynard@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2011 11:52:13 -0400
> -----Original Message-----
> From: wireshark-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wireshark-dev-
> bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Guy Harris
> Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 3:31 PM
> To: Developer support list for Wireshark
> Subject: Re: [Wireshark-dev] [Wireshark-commits] rev 39143:
> /trunk/epan/dissectors/ /trunk/epan/dissectors/: packet-dvbci.c
> 
> 
> "CHAR ENCODING" should be replaced by "TYPE ENCODING"; strings aren't
> the only types where there is additional encoding information - we
> added support for multiple FT_ABSOLUTE_TIME encodings ("struct
> timespec", with 32-bit seconds followed by 32-bit nanoseconds, and "NTP
> time").

Right.  But then technically strings and time structs aren't the only types where additional encoding information could be indicated.  Is there any value in adding other encodings, even for binary data, such as:

/* Bit numbering order[1]: This could be a complete type encoding or it might make sense to reserve a bit for it in the encoding argument if it's to be combined with other type encodings. */
#define ENC_LSB0           TBD
#define ENC_MSB0           TBD

Or for the various BCD[2] encodings, e.g.:
#define ENC_BCD            TBD
#define ENC_PACKED_BCD     TBD

Etc.

I think in this sense that if these (and other) types of encodings are added that ENC_NA would be rendered largely obsolete since technically there's always *some* applicable encoding.  I guess it could still apply to the FT_NONE and FT_PROTOCOL types, but then we might also want to define ENC_NA as something like:

#define ENC_NA			(ENC_ENDIAN_NOT_APPLICABLE|ENC_TYPE_NA|ENC_BIG_ENDIAN)

... where ENC_TYPE_NA is another type TBD.

- Chris
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit_numbering
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary-coded_decimal


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