C++ enum of type char, ignored by the compiler or unexpected behaviour? -

i did little test enum, here have:

enum anyoldname : char {     aa = 'a', ab = 'b', ac = 'c', ad = 'd' };  int main() {      anyoldname i_have_an_enum_here = aa; // expect i_have_an_enum_here of type char?      std::cout << i_have_an_enum_here << std::endl;      return 0; } 

output is: 98, unless cast explicitly char so:

std::cout << (char)i_have_an_enum_here; 

or change anyoldname char.

why value 98 printed instead of b ?

by way sizeof() returns 1, ie; 1 byte, char.

without cast, compiler first searches appropriate member function of std::ostream, , finds 1 -- 1 int. implicitly converts 1-byte number of type anyoldname int , calls member function.

compiling program g++ 4.8.1, 2 definitions ostream::operator<< seen:

     u std::ostream::operator<<(std::ostream& (*)(std::ostream&))@@glibcxx_3.4      u std::ostream::operator<<(int)@@glibcxx_3.4 

the first 1 endl , second 1 enum.

with explicit cast char, compiler able find perfect match in global std::operator<< function takes ostream , char input. uses function rather doing implicit cast (to int again) in order call ostream member function.

the 2 symbols become:

     u std::ostream::operator<<(std::ostream& (*)(std::ostream&))@@glibcxx_3.4      u std::basic_ostream<char, std::char_traits<char> >& std::operator<< <std::char_traits<char> >(std::basic_ostream<char, std::char_traits<char> >&, char) 

and values printed characters rather decimal values.