03/31/83  numeric_to_ascii_


Entry points in numeric_to_ascii_:
   (List is generated by the help command)


:Entry: numeric_to_ascii_:  02/08/83  numeric_to_ascii_


Function: formats a real decimal floating-point number.  Integer,
fractional, or exponential format is used depending on the number
being formatted.  The value returned by this function is a varying
character string that can contain an optional minus sign, from 1 to 59
decimal digits, and, in some cases, an exponent field.  The caller can
control the number of digits placed in the string.

For numbers based in a number system other than base 10, use the
numeric_to_ascii_base_ subroutine.


Syntax:
declare numeric_to_ascii_ entry (float dec(59), fixed bin) returns
     (char(72) varying);
result = numeric_to_ascii_ ((value), precision);


Arguments:
value
   is the value to be formatted.  (Input) The PL/I compiler converts to
   float dec(59) if the attributes of value are different.  The extra
   pair of parentheses around value suppresses the warning message
   about the conversion that would normally be generated.
precision
   controls the number of digits placed in the output string.  (Input)
   If precision is equal to 0, from 1 to 59 digits are placed in the
   result string depending on the value being formatted.  If precision
   is less than 0, the decimal value is truncated to the specified
   number of digits.  If precision is greater than 0, the decimal value
   is rounded to the specified number of digits.  In the cases where
   precision is not 0, no more than the specified number of digits are
   placed in the output string.
result
   is the character-string representation of value; it contains no
   blanks.  (Output)


Notes:
To convert integers, use the PL/I sequence:
      result = ltrim (char (value));
If precision equals 0, 59 is used for the precision.  In the following
discussion, P is equal to min (59, precision).

A number in integer format consists of a string of from 1 to P decimal
digits without a decimal point.  Integer format is used for integers
whose absolute value is less than 10**P.

A number in fractional format consists of from 1 to P decimal digits
with a decimal point.  Trailing zeros in the fractional part are
omitted; a number less than 1 has a 0 to the left of the decimal point.
Fractional format is used for nonintegers that can be exactly
represented in this format.


A number in exponential format appears as:
             xey       or        xe-y
where x is a number greater than 1 and less than 10 in fractional
format and y is a power of 10 such that the numeric value being
formatted is x*10**y.  Exponential format is used whenever integer or
fractional format cannot be used.


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Historical Background

This edition of the Multics software materials and documentation is provided and donated
to Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Group BULL including BULL HN Information Systems Inc. 
as a contribution to computer science knowledge.  
This donation is made also to give evidence of the common contributions of Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Bell Laboratories, General Electric, Honeywell Information Systems Inc., Honeywell BULL Inc., Groupe BULL
and BULL HN Information Systems Inc. to the development of this operating system. 
Multics development was initiated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Project MAC (1963-1970),
renamed the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in the mid 1970s, under the leadership
of Professor Fernando Jose Corbato. Users consider that Multics provided the best software architecture 
for managing computer hardware properly and for executing programs. Many subsequent operating systems 
incorporated Multics principles.
Multics was distributed in 1975 to 2000 by Group Bull in Europe , and in the U.S. by Bull HN Information Systems Inc., 
as successor in interest by change in name only to Honeywell Bull Inc. and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. .

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Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute these programs and their documentation for any purpose and without
fee is hereby granted,provided that the below copyright notice and historical background appear in all copies
and that both the copyright notice and historical background and this permission notice appear in supporting
documentation, and that the names of MIT, HIS, BULL or BULL HN not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining
to distribution of the programs without specific prior written permission.
    Copyright 1972 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by BULL HN Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by Bull SAS
    All Rights Reserved