Re: precise floats

[smize@news.imagin.net (Samuel Mize)]

In article <dewar.902417129@merv>, Robert Dewar <dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu> wrote:
>C Green said
>      type my_very_precise_type is digits <N>;
>  
>  where <N> is the number of digits of precision you need.  Be aware, however,
>  that few compilers support float types of precision greater than 15 digits.
>>>
>
>Surely better advice is
>
>     type my_very_precise_type is System.Max_Digits;

Assuming you want the greatest possible accuracy, perhaps best would be

  type my_very_precise_type is System.Max_Digits;

  subtype Fail_If_Not_Precise_Enough
    is my_very_precise_type digits <N>;

So your variables will have the max precision available, and the
compiler will warn you if it can't give you at least N digits.

Best,
Sam Mize

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Samuel Mize -- smize@imagin.net (home email) -- Team Ada
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