Why is there no clamp function in math.h

c++ std clamp
Pharap picture Pharap · Feb 9, 2014 · Viewed 15k times · Source

math.h goes to the trouble of providing min and max, but not a clamp function. I would have thought that as they are all usually similar implementation-wise they would all appear in the same library.

Is there any particular reason that math.h does not feature a clamp function|macro? Is it that the creators of math.h did not deem it necessary or did they just not think about it?

EDIT: It seems people are missing the point here. I'm not asking why didn't they add clamp because I'm lazy and don't like writing a new clamp - quite the opposite, I hardly ever use it (though admittedly I use it more than I use some of the standard libraries).

What I'm asking is "does anyone know of any reason why the c++ standardisation authorities or creators or whoever chose not to include a clamp function in math.h?".

I am by no means complaining that it is not in math.h, I am merely asking "is there a good reason it isn't there?".

EDIT: I am explicitly not asking how to write a clamp() function.

Answer

Riot picture Riot · Feb 1, 2017

The other answers are no longer valid, as std::clamp is now in C++17.

At the time of writing it isn't supported by GCC, but will be in GCC 7.

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