Developing from Miki’s answer,
In OpenCV 3 definition has moved to modules/core/include/opencv2/core/traits.hpp, where you can find:
/** @brief A helper class for cv::DataType
The class is specialized for each fundamental numerical data type supported by OpenCV. It provides
DataDepth<T>::value constant.
*/
template<typename _Tp> class DataDepth
{
public:
enum
{
value = DataType<_Tp>::depth,
fmt = DataType<_Tp>::fmt
};
};
template<int _depth> class TypeDepth
{
enum { depth = CV_USRTYPE1 };
typedef void value_type;
};
template<> class TypeDepth<CV_8U>
{
enum { depth = CV_8U };
typedef uchar value_type;
};
template<> class TypeDepth<CV_8S>
{
enum { depth = CV_8S };
typedef schar value_type;
};
template<> class TypeDepth<CV_16U>
{
enum { depth = CV_16U };
typedef ushort value_type;
};
template<> class TypeDepth<CV_16S>
{
enum { depth = CV_16S };
typedef short value_type;
};
template<> class TypeDepth<CV_32S>
{
enum { depth = CV_32S };
typedef int value_type;
};
template<> class TypeDepth<CV_32F>
{
enum { depth = CV_32F };
typedef float value_type;
};
template<> class TypeDepth<CV_64F>
{
enum { depth = CV_64F };
typedef double value_type;
};
In most of the cases/compilers you should be fine using C++ exact data types. You wouldn’t have problems with single byte data types (CV_8U -> uint8_t and CV_8U -> int8_t) as unambiguously defined in C++. The same for float (32bit) and double (64bit). However, it is true that for other data types to be completely sure you use the correct data type (for example when using the at<> method) you should use for example:
typedef TypeDepth<CV_WHATEVER_YOU_USED_TO_CREATE_YOUR_MAT>::value_type access_type;
myMat.at<access_type>(y,x) = 0;
As a side note, I am surprised they decided to take such an ambiguous approach, instead of simply using exact data types.
Therefore, regarding your last question:
What type should I expect from, let’s say,
CV_32S?
I believe the most precise answer, in OpenCV 3, is:
TypeDepth<CV_32S>::value_type