Library support for _Float16 data type

If you want to use any of the functions from the C standard library on the _Float16 data type, then you must manually cast the _Float16 value to a single-precision, or double-precision value, and then use the appropriate library function.

Also, the library function printf does not have a string format specifier for the _Float16 data type. Therefore an explicit cast is required for the _Float16 data type. The following example casts the _Float16 value to a double for use in the printf function.

// foo.c
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h> 

_Float16 foo(void)
{
    _Float16 n = 1.0f16;

    // Cast the _Float16 value n to a double because there is no string format specifier for half-precision floating-point values.
    printf ("Hello World %f \n", (double)n);

    return n;
}

To compile this example with armclang, use the command:

armclang --target=arm-arm-none-eabi -march=armv8.2-a+fp16 -std=c90 -c foo.c -o foo.o

The printf function does not automatically cast the _Float16 value. If you do not manually cast the _Float16 value, armclang produces the -Wformat diagnostic message.

warning: format specifies type 'double' but the argument has type '_Float16' [-Wformat]
printf ("Hello World %f\n", n);