unsigned int assigned to double yields negative # ... Why?

[Andrew Lue]

Using various C compilers on VAX and Series 32000 based machines, I've
compiled the code below.  I've gotten negative results instead of positive
results.

main()
{
unsigned int ui = 0xf0000000;
double d;

d = ui;
printf("%d\n");
}

The books by K&R and Harrison & Steele are unclear about how this conversion
should be applied.  Does anyone know what the definitive conversion is?
Or is the decision left up to the compiler writers?


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Andrew H. Lue                                          {decwrl|sun}!nsc!andrew