Visual C++ 19.10.25019 – C++ compiler bug? - c++

Question

I have a function for receiving messages of variable length through TCP. The send-function creates a buffer, puts the length of message in first four bytes, fills the rest with the message, and sends by parts. But the receive-function was receiving 4 bytes less. And suddenly, when I put one printf, everything is working as it should.
bool TCP_Server::recvMsg(SOCKET client_sock, std::unique_ptr<char[]>& buf_ptr, int* buf_len)
{
int msg_len;
int rcvd = 0, tmp;////
/* get msg len */
if((tmp = recv(client_sock, (char*)&msg_len, sizeof(msg_len), 0)) == -1)
{
handle_error("recv");
return false;
}
*buf_len = msg_len;
printf("msg_len = %d\n", msg_len); //
printf("tmp getting msg_len = %d\n", tmp);//
rcvd += tmp;//
buf_ptr.reset((char*)malloc(msg_len));
if(buf_ptr.get() == nullptr) // not enough memory
{
handle_error("malloc");
return false;
}
/* get msg of specified len */
/* get by biggest available pieces */
int i = 1;
while(int(msg_len - 1440 * i) > 0)
{
char* cur_ptr = buf_ptr.get() + 1440 * (i - 1);
if((tmp=recv(client_sock, cur_ptr, 1440, 0)) == -1)
{
handle_error("recv");
return false;
}
printf("1440 = %d\n", tmp); // doesn't work if I comment this line
rcvd += tmp;
i++;
}
int rest = msg_len - 1440 * (i - 1);
/* get the rest */
if((tmp = recv(client_sock, buf_ptr.get() + msg_len - rest, rest, 0)) == -1)
{
handle_error("(recv)reading with msg_len");
return false;
}
rcvd += tmp;//
printf("rcvd = %d\n", rcvd);//
return true;
}
In sum, if I comment printf("1440 = %d\n", tmp);, the function is receiving 4 bytes less.
I'm compiling with x86 Debug.
Here's the dissimilar lines in asm(/FA flag): http://text-share.com/view/50743a5e
But I don't see anything suspicious

Answer 1

printf writes to the console, which is a fairly slow operation, relatively speaking. The extra delay it produces might easily change how much data has arrived in the buffer when you call recv.
As Tulon comments, reads from TCP streams can be any length. TCP doesn't preserve message boundaries, so they don't necessarily match the send sizes on the other end. And if less data has been sent across the network than you asked to read, you'll get what is available.
Solution: stop thinking of 1440 byte chunks. Get rid of i and simply compare rcvd to msg_len.