Many decades ago in university I wrote a program in RPG2 to calculate powers to a hundred digits. Very doable.
On Thu, 11 Jul 2024 09:32:57 +0200 Thomas Berg <[email protected]> wrote: :>FWIW, many years ago when I coded COBOL pgms for a bank we had problems :>with this when we needed to convert currency in billions with 4 decimals. :>Unfortunately I don't remember how we solved this. :>But the point is that is/was a real problem. :> :>Thomas Berg :> :>Den tors 11 juli 2024 08:13Farley, Peter < :>[email protected]> skrev: :> :>> All true Tom, but as far as I understand it the Vector Decimal :>> instructions still do not provide any more digits of precision than the :>> older, non-vector ones. I believe the OP was asking about more digits of :>> precision, not better CPU usage. COBOL's ARITH(EXTEND) option still :>> provides only up to 31 digits of precision. :>> :>> And we still do not have COBOL access to the Decimal Float capabilities of :>> the hardware. Extended-format Decimal Float provides (if I am reading PoOP :>> correctly) up to 34 significant decimal digits of precision. :>> :>> Peter :>> :>> From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> On Behalf :>> Of Tom Ross :>> Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2024 12:41 AM :>> To: [email protected] :>> Subject: Packed Decimal -- Extended(?) :>> :>> :>> <Snipped> :>> :>> :>> :>> The IBM z/OS COBOL compiler handled long numbers with packed-decimal :>> :>> instructions for years by using library routines that would process :>> :>> parts of the data nad then combine the results. :>> :>> :>> :>> Modern COBOL compilers on modern hardware (IE: customers who have :>> :>> z14 or later as DR machines) can compile with ARCH(12) which tells :>> :>> the compiler that we can use Vedtor Packed Decimal instructions, that :>> :>> can not only process many digits, but can process pacekd-decimal :>> :>> arithmetic with up to 90% less CPU usage than traditional packed- :>> :>> decimal instructions! :>> :>> :>> :>> In any case, I think the answer is to use a newer COBOL compiler :-) :>> :>> :>> :>> :>> :>> Cheers, :>> :>> TomR >> COBOL is the Language of the Future! << :>> :>> -- :>> :>> :>> This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the :>> addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. :>> If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized :>> representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any :>> dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have :>> received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by :>> e-mail and delete the message and any attachments from your system. :>> :>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- :>> For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, :>> send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN :>> :> :>---------------------------------------------------------------------- :>For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, :>send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- Binyamin Dissen <[email protected]> http://www.dissensoftware.com Director, Dissen Software, Bar & Grill - Israel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
