Fixed-width integers (uint8_t, uint16_t, uint32_t) in Embedded C - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Working with Fixed-Width Integers in Embedded C

📖 Scenario: You are programming a small embedded device that reads sensor values and stores them in variables with exact sizes to save memory and ensure correct data handling.

🎯 Goal: You will create variables using fixed-width integer types uint8_t, uint16_t, and uint32_t, assign values to them, and then print their values to verify correct usage.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create variables with types uint8_t, uint16_t, and uint32_t

Assign specific values to each variable

Use a helper variable to hold a maximum value for uint8_t

Print the values of all variables

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Embedded systems often have limited memory and require exact control over data sizes to optimize performance and storage.

💼 Career

Understanding fixed-width integers is essential for embedded software developers, firmware engineers, and anyone working close to hardware.

1

Create fixed-width integer variables

Create three variables: sensor1 of type uint8_t with value 100, sensor2 of type uint16_t with value 30000, and sensor3 of type uint32_t with value 1000000.

Embedded C

#include 
#include 

int main() {

    // Create sensor1, sensor2, sensor3 variables here

    return 0;
}

Need a hint?

Use the exact types uint8_t, uint16_t, and uint32_t and assign the values exactly as given.

2

Add a maximum value variable for uint8_t

Create a variable called max_uint8 of type uint8_t and assign it the value 255, which is the maximum value for an 8-bit unsigned integer.

Embedded C

#include 
#include 

int main() {
    uint8_t sensor1 = 100;
    uint16_t sensor2 = 30000;
    uint32_t sensor3 = 1000000;

    // Create max_uint8 variable here

    return 0;
}

Need a hint?

Remember that uint8_t can hold values from 0 to 255.

3

Print all variable values

Use printf to print the values of sensor1, sensor2, sensor3, and max_uint8. Use the format specifiers %u for all since they are unsigned integers.

Embedded C

#include 
#include 

int main() {
    uint8_t sensor1 = 100;
    uint16_t sensor2 = 30000;
    uint32_t sensor3 = 1000000;

    uint8_t max_uint8 = 255;

    // Print values here

    return 0;
}

Need a hint?

Use printf with %u to print unsigned integers and include newline \n for readability.

4

Run the program and check output

Run the program and ensure the output exactly matches:
sensor1 = 100
sensor2 = 30000
sensor3 = 1000000
max_uint8 = 255

Embedded C

#include 
#include 

int main() {
    uint8_t sensor1 = 100;
    uint16_t sensor2 = 30000;
    uint32_t sensor3 = 1000000;

    uint8_t max_uint8 = 255;

    printf("sensor1 = %u\n", sensor1);
    printf("sensor2 = %u\n", sensor2);
    printf("sensor3 = %u\n", sensor3);
    printf("max_uint8 = %u\n", max_uint8);

    // Run and check output

    return 0;
}

Need a hint?

Make sure your program prints exactly the values with the labels and new lines as shown.