Ping 'count' param throws error for large values, and is signed.

[dabell-cc]

Describe the bug
The ping() function can't be called with a large value for count. It will throw an error.
Setting count to a negative number does not result in an error (but it should).
Seems the count variable is ended up a signed 16-bit int for some reason.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:
Large value error:

from pythonping import ping
ping('127.0.0.1', count=100000)
result: struct.error: short format requires (-32768) <= number <= 32767

Accept negative number:

from pythonping import ping
ping('127.0.0.1', count=-10)
result: Round Trip Times min/avg/max is 0/0/0 ms

Expected behavior
Expect to be able to set count to a positive int 0 .. sys.maxsize.
Large ping counts are helpful for long ping-flood tests to check for networking stability.

Expect error when setting count to a negative value.

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: Windows 10
• Browser [e.g. chrome, safari]: n/a
• Version [e.g. 22]: python 3.10.6

[BoboTiG]

It would be cool to have infinite ping using count=None or count=-1.

[z4id]

Integer (int) has no max limit in Python3.

import sys

sys.maxsize
# 9223372036854775807

And sys.maxsize is not the max value of int, Python3's int can handle any large number as long as memory can handle it.

---

Not reproduce-able

ping('127.0.0.1', count=100000)
result: struct.error: short format requires (-32768) <= number <= 32767

• Python 3.10.4
• pythonping==1.1.3
• MacOS 12.4

---

Agreed

ping('127.0.0.1', count=-10)
result: Round Trip Times min/avg/max is 0/0/0 ms

Agreed on this. For negative numbers, it should throw an error instead of just displaying default Round Trip Times min/avg/max is 0/0/0 ms

Expected Behaviour:

ValueError:count must be greater than or equal to 0

---

Handling float count values

Float values should be rounded off round(count) instead of math.ceil(count)

from pythonping import ping
ping('127.0.0.1', count=2.1)

Current Behaviour:

Reply from 127.0.0.1, 29 bytes in 0.03ms
Reply from 127.0.0.1, 29 bytes in 0.03ms
Reply from 127.0.0.1, 29 bytes in 0.02ms

Round Trip Times min/avg/max is 0.02/0.03/0.03 ms

Expected Behaviour:

Reply from 127.0.0.1, 29 bytes in 0.03ms
Reply from 127.0.0.1, 29 bytes in 0.03ms

Round Trip Times min/avg/max is 0.02/0.03/0.03 ms

@pythonping_owner or @pythonping_contributors do let me know if these changes align with project contribution guideline, so that I can raise a PR to handle these edge cases.

[dabell-cc]

@z4id regarding sys.maxsize: fair enough, no need to set an upper limit.
Interesting that it works on Mac with python 3.10.4, I wanted to add I also used pythonping==1.1.3.

The PR I opened here did solve the large number and negative number issue for me - perhaps you could take a look and try it out on your system.

[z4id]

The PR I opened #89 did solve the large number and negative number issue for me - perhaps you could take a look and try it out on your system.

@dabell-cc, that's great. I'll have a look on it.
Glad it's been actively followed.

[alessandromaggio]

I will try to review this ASAP