topic Re: Converting string to floating number in DCL in Operating System - OpenVMS

Converting string to floating number in DCL

MT93 — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 20:59:06 GMT

Hi,

How can I convert this string to a floating number so I can do Mathematical operations?

"9.8441676E-01"

Thanks!

Re: Converting string to floating number in DCL

David R. Lennon — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 21:15:20 GMT

I don't think you'll have much luck with just DCL. You may want to look into also using this utility that looks like it is written with easy operability with DCL symbols in mind:

http://www.eight-cubed.com/downloads.html#math

MATH

A Bison based infix calculator supporting all the one argument double precision C math functions. The calculator allows you to output local or global DCL symbols, and reads string representations of floating point numbers from DCL symbols on the right hand side.

Re: Converting string to floating number in DCL

Steven Schweda — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 22:03:30 GMT

> How can I convert this string to a floating number so I can do
> Mathematical operations?

DCL provides no floating-point support:

HELP INTEGER

What kinds of "Mathematical operations" on what? As usual, a more
detailed description of the actual problem which you are trying to solve
might be helpful.

Possibly interesting:

http://antinode.info/dec/sw/bc.html

But those programs don't support "Exx" notation.

One could, in principle, use basic string processing to convert
"9.8441676E-01" to "0.98441676", and proceed from there.

Re: Converting string to floating number in DCL

Craigers01 — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 12:40:43 GMT

We have a calculator executable, "calx" on our VMS 6.2 VAX.

Calx Version 5.0d
Calx is an interactive programmable scientific calculator program useful
for solving typical problems in computer engineering. Calx features
independent input and output radices in binary, octal, decimal, hex, or any
radix of base 2 through 36, as well as ascii characters and convenient "k"
(1024) notation. It allows nesting of parentheses, performs implied
multiplication, and features alternate scientific or engineering notation
outputs. Users may store data in the 10 user-assignable memories or in the
26 user-definable symbols (whose names may be up to six characters long).
Many common calculation parameters can be preset and reset through the use
of an initialization file. For more thorough information about Calx, see
the Calx Users Guide, CALX$LIBRARY:CALX.DOC, which is both a primer and a
reference guide to Calx.

Re: Converting string to floating number in DCL

joukj — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 07:12:44 GMT

Can you give some information from where this calx program can be obtained?