GMP variable's bit size..

Question

In GMP library,

_mp_size holds the number of limbs of an integer..

we can create integers of size 1 limb(32bits),2 limbs(64bits),3 limbs(96bits)...so on. using mpz_init or mpz_random functions..

cant we create an integer variable of size 8bit or 16 bit.. other than multiples of 32 bit size ???

can you code for that??

thank you ..

Answer 1

This would be of limited utility, because most modern processors use at least a 32-bit word size.

Answer 2

I don't think you can. Here's an excerpt from a discussion at http://gmplib.org/list-archives/gmp-discuss/2004-June/001200.html:

The limb size is compiled into the library, and is determined from the available types of tghe [sic] processor and the host environment.