Extended-precision floating-point (##)

Extended-precision floating-point numbers are the basis of computation in PowerBASIC.  The type-specifier character for an Extended-precision floating-point is: ##.  In PowerBASIC, all floating point calculations are performed in extended precision for maximum accuracy.  Extended-precision has also been provided as a declarable variable type, so you can take advantage of its extra exponent range and precision.

Extended-precision variables require 10 bytes of storage each.  They have a range of approximately  +/- 3.4*10^-4932 to 1.2*10^4932, and offer 18 digits of precision.  All 18 digits can be "displayed" using the extended STR$ format (eg, STR$(var##,18)).

Extended-precision variables are identified by adding two Number symbols following a variable name (i.e., var##) or by using the DEFEXT statement..  You can also declare Extended-precision variables using the EXT or EXTENDED keywords with the DIM statement.  For example:

 

DIM I AS EXT
DIM J AS EXTENDED

 

 

See Also

Array Data Types

Bit Data Types

Constants and Literals

Floating Point Data Types 

GUID Data Types

Integral Data Types 

Object Data Types

Pointers

String Data Types 

User Defined Types

Unions

Variant Data Types