range(0, length=Uint(0)) throws InexactError

[ethomag]

julia> range(0, length=UInt(0))
ERROR: InexactError: check_top_bit(Int64, 18446744073709551615)

Due to the fact that empty ranges are represented by n:n-1, which breaks with n=0 and unsigned types.

I think the range expression is a valid one that ought to be supported and the error message is not very helpful.

Could not find anything related on discourse, the closest one is:
#26608

[Micket]

So, problem seems to stem from promotion of Int -> UInt (which then underflows) on

julia/base/range.jl

Line 107 in 84d7e67

_range(a::Real, ::Nothing, ::Nothing, len::Integer) = UnitRange{typeof(a)}(a, oftype(a, a+len-1))

Possible fix

_range(a::Real, ::Nothing, ::Nothing, len::Integer) = UnitRange{typeof(a)}(a, a+oftype(a, len)-1)

[mbauman]

This is strongly related to #10554; we should figure out a way to do the promotion that solves both cases (the MWE for that one is now range(1,length=typemax(Int128))).

[Micket]

At least range(1,length=typemax(Int128)) throws an error.
There are cases which are just kinda silently "broken"

julia> range(UInt(0),length=0)
0x0000000000000000:0xffffffffffffffff

julia> range(2,length=typemax(Int64))
2:1

Though, surely there is some responsibility of the caller to ensure the datatypes used don't overflow/underflow (unless