Breaking a float into bytes for binary I/O

[N36fSL3A]

Hello, I'd like to know how I could break a float into individual bytes for binary use.

Sounds simple, but it seems as though the compiler doesn't realize everything is just a series of bytes.

Thanks in advance.

[LB]

You don't need individual bytes. Here is an example with saving to a file:

{
    std::ofstream out ("out.dat");
    float a = 3.14;
    double b = 3.1415926;
    out.write((char const *)&a, sizeof(a)).write((char const *)&b, sizeof(b));
}

[N36fSL3A]

But is that cross platform?

[LB]

Using floats and doubles in the first place is not cross-platform. Different hardware handles floats and doubles differently. What specifically are you concerned about?

[N36fSL3A]

The thing is I'm using this for my 3D model format. I don't want my data to be read wrong.

Endians aren't a problem.

[LB]

If endianess isn't an issue I don't see what you're worried about ;)

[N36fSL3A]

Oh, thanks :D But how would I read them?

[LB]

I'll have both the write and read code:

Writing:

{
    std::ofstream out ("floats.dat");
    float a = 3.14;
    double b = 3.1415926;
    out.write((char const *)&a, sizeof(a)).write((char const *)&b, sizeof(b));
}

Reading:

{
    std::ifstream in ("floats.dat");
    float a;
    double b;
    in.read((char *)&a, sizeof(a)).read((char *)&b, sizeof(b));
}

[N36fSL3A]

Thanks.