[ale] Q: IEEE-Float byte order on Network convention

[randy.dunlap at intel.com (Dunlap, Randy)]

Hi John,

> I have only done this with packets of my own design on a direct serial
> links between 68K and i86 boxen: the natural orderings were indeed
> different, but (thankfully!) the data types were otherwise 
> compatible for
> the respective compilers. (I put reordering responsibiliy on the
> i86-hosted responders, since they had the lowest overall 
> loading in that net.)

Good point.  Just be sure to keep the data size the same on
each end.

> If there is a convention for byte- and word-order in transfering
> non-integer types over a net connection, I would prefer to observe it.
> Please tell me of any, direct me to references, or share your
> experiences.

I looked in Endian FAQs and docs about "network byte order."
Network byte order is relevant to TCP/IP protocol headers, etc.
User (payload) data can be formatted however you choose
AFAIK and could find.

One web page ("OpenMath ...") converts floating point to
ASCII representation (+-n.nnnnnnex) for network transmission.

~Randy

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