Hmm. was just messing with it in the message box.. I'm not a math guy, but seems that when using format you shouldn't need to specify the numberformat.
I did this.. put format("%1.60e",1.23456e-41 * 1e-20) where 60 is the desired precision. Seems to work, same type of result but you specify the precision in the format string rather than having to type 60 # (or however many you need)... Just changed it based on your most recent mail that popped in. Used: put format("%1.60e",1234567890123e-10 * 1e-170) message box shows (precision 60) 1.234567890123000166120503829534102198735876903021159008931759e-168 (of course just popping it into the message box but still) On Sun, Jun 23, 2013 at 8:42 PM, John <j...@onechip.com> wrote: > Mike, > > Thanks for the tip. I am using "format" for display purposes so that I > get correctly formatted numbers but, unless I use "numberFormat" first, > there is not enough precision available from the result of the > multiplication and the result is 0. > > It appears that "numberFormat" sets the number of decimal places LC > uses to do the math and "Format" formats the results for display. > > Any other thoughts? > > Thanks, > John > > > > > On Jun 23, 2013, at 7:31 PM, Mike Bonner <bonnm...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > look at the format function, specifically the "%#.##E" (or e) > incantation. > > > > > > On Sun, Jun 23, 2013 at 8:20 PM, John <j...@onechip.com> wrote: > > > >> It seems odd that I haven't stumbled into this before and I am sure I > >> am doing something wrong, I just can't seem to find a better way around > the > >> issue of working with small numbers. > >> > >> Suppose I want to multiply two small numbers such as: 1.23456e-41 * > >> 1e-20. Unless I am happy with a result of 0, I have to use a really odd > >> numberFormat statement such as: > >> > >> set the numberformat to "0.##########...############" where " …" > >> represents sixty or so '#' > >> > >> This seems really odd. Surely there is a better way to do this. Can > >> someone help? > >> > >> Thanks, > >> John > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> use-livecode mailing list > >> use-livecode@lists.runrev.com > >> Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your > >> subscription preferences: > >> http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > use-livecode mailing list > > use-livecode@lists.runrev.com > > Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your > subscription preferences: > > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode > > > _______________________________________________ > use-livecode mailing list > use-livecode@lists.runrev.com > Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your > subscription preferences: > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode > _______________________________________________ use-livecode mailing list use-livecode@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode