BSON_VALUE_T(3)

💅 BSON Boxed Container Type 💅

okay so bestie, welcome to bson_value_t from libbson — yes, that libbson, the C library one, and yes, this page is gonna be your new personality trait ✨

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <bson/bson.h>

typedef struct _bson_value_t {
   bson_type_t value_type;
   union {
      bson_oid_t v_oid;
      int64_t v_int64;
      int32_t v_int32;
      int8_t v_int8;
      double v_double;
      bool v_bool;
      int64_t v_datetime;
      struct {
         uint32_t timestamp;
         uint32_t increment;
      } v_timestamp;
      struct {
         uint32_t len;
         char *str;
      } v_utf8;
      struct {
         uint32_t data_len;
         uint8_t *data;
      } v_doc;
      struct {
         uint32_t data_len;
         uint8_t *data;
         bson_subtype_t subtype;
      } v_binary;
      struct {
         char *regex;
         char *options;
      } v_regex;
      struct {
         char *collection;
         uint32_t collection_len;
         bson_oid_t oid;
      } v_dbpointer;
      struct {
         uint32_t code_len;
         char *code;
      } v_code;
      struct {
         uint32_t code_len;
         char *code;
         uint32_t scope_len;
         uint8_t *scope_data;
      } v_codewscope;
      struct {
         uint32_t len;
         char *symbol;
      } v_symbol;
      bson_decimal128_t v_decimal128;
   } value;
} bson_value_t;

like, that union is literally the whole squad assembled — every single one of these members is showing up to the group chat: v_oid, v_int64, v_int32, v_int8, v_double, v_bool, v_datetime, v_timestamp, v_utf8, v_doc, v_binary, v_regex, v_dbpointer, v_code, v_codewscope, v_symbol, v_decimal128. no one left behind, periodt 🫶

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so the bson_value_t structure is a boxed type — and before you ask, no, not cardboard box, more like a cute lil gift-wrapped container 🎁 it's for encapsulating a type that gets figured out at runtime, aka the type doesn't announce itself at compile time, it just shows up and reveals its whole identity later. main character energy frankly 💅

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🦋 EXAMPLE 🦋

here's the vibe check in action:

const bson_value_t *value;

value = bson_iter_value (&iter);

if (value->value_type == BSON_TYPE_INT32) {
   printf ("%d\n", value->value.v_int32);
}

see how it peeks at value_type first to find out what it's dealing with, then reaches into the matching union member? iconic. no cap, that's the whole move 😌

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🎀 AUTHOR 🎀

MongoDB, Inc

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⭐ COPYRIGHT ⭐

2009-present, MongoDB, Inc.

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and that's the page, bestie 💖 before you close the tab — this absolute classic is from libbson version 2.5.6, dated Oct 09, 2026 🌈 go forth and box those types, you've got this 🧚💜