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c++socketstcpwinsock

What does the number represent when printing a socket in C++?

SOCKET sampleSocket;
cout << sampleSocket << endl;
// End up with a number

I noticed that when I use cout to print a socket, I receive a number--what does that number represent and how can I retrieve it outside of using cout?

Solution

  • In Winsock applications, a socket descriptor is not a file descriptor and must be used with the Winsock functions. [...] Because the SOCKET type is unsigned, compiling existing source code from, for example, a UNIX environment may lead to compiler warnings about signed/unsigned data type mismatches.

    (See Socket Data Type)

    From this documentation we can gather that it is an unsigned data type. However, the exact integer type remains implementation-defined. It will likely be a 32-bit or 64-bit unsigned integer.