RANGE as a RESERVED word

[Fred Katzel]

Hi all,
I don't know if a RRESERVED word excess that would do what I will
call RANGE. Where RANGE would set the limits, above and below a
given value that would be acceptable. A sample statement might be:
IF a = b RANGE(.001) THEN... This would be equivalent to:
IF a < (b + .001) AND a > (b - .001) THEN... Also when comparing
two strings the use of RANGE$(no.); where RANGE$(no.) would comp-
are two strings of the same length and consider them acceptable
if not more than (no.) of characters are different between the two
strings. A sample statement might be: IF a$ = B$ RANGE$(1) THEN...
For example my last name is KATZEL, but often people spell it
CATZEL. If the above statement were used it would be acceptable.
I notice in a number of spell checkers this being done along with a
number of suggested correctly spelled words.
Do such RESERVED words excess in PowerBASIC or is it possible
to have them in future versions of PowerBASIC?
Fred K

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[Tom Hanlin]

Sounds like an opportunity for a group of functions, actually.
I'll put it on the wish list.

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Tom Hanlin
PowerBASIC Staff

[Michael Mattias]

FUNCTION Range (A AS SINGLE, B AS SINGLE, Limit AS SINGLE) AS INTEGER

   IF ABS (B-A) <=Limit THEN
     RANGE = -1
   ELSE
     RANGE = 0
    END IF
END FUNCTION

IF RANGE (A, B, .001!) THEN.....

MCM
(Edit 7/02/01: added missing END FUNCTION)




[This message has been edited by Michael Mattias (edited July 02, 2002).]

[Tom Hanlin]

Not quite what Fred was looking for, I think-- although it's a good
step along the way. A "real short" function like this may be better
expressed as a MACRO, by the way (or may not be, but I'd normally
lean in that direction).

MACRO range(a, b, limit) = (ABS(b - a) <= limit)

Note that the macro isn't sensitive to what numeric types you've
chosen. We're dealing with text substitution here.

If you're old enough, you may remember DEF FN. This particular kind
of macro works very much the same way.

Michael, the reason your indentation is off is by way of having lost
the END FUNCTION. Of course, one of the reasons proper indentation
is such a Good Thing(TM) lies in how it makes such problems evident.
Stick with the Proper Form, guys, it's not just a formality. It Will
Help You. Let it!

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Tom Hanlin
PowerBASIC Staff

[Michael Mattias]

MACROs in PB/DOS? Can't find that in my manuals, and I've been using "the latest release" for about four years.

Old enough to remember DEF FN? I'm a Truman baby, does that qualify? No? How about I can remember DEF USRn? (Not quite the same thing, but dissapeared before DEF FN). How about I remember when variable names could not begin with the letters, "F-N?" I still pause when I type "fname" ....

MCM

[Tom Hanlin]

No macros in PB/DOS, yet; but it does still support DEF FN. So:

def fnrange(a, b, limit) = (ABS(b - a) <= limit)

------------------
Tom Hanlin
PowerBASIC Staff