External for arbitrary precision decimals?

Reply to External for arbitrary precision decimals? on Sat, 22 Aug 2026 20:58:46 GMT

jameslo — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 20:58:46 GMT

The Java library has an object called BigDecimal that implements arbitrary precision decimal numbers and the arithmetic for them. It allows you to do currency calculations without having to worry about the rounding issues inherent in floating point. c# has something similar but it has a smaller digit limit, I guess to allow it to run natively. Do you know of an external that does something like that for Pd?

Reply to External for arbitrary precision decimals? on Sat, 22 Aug 2026 21:28:10 GMT

whale-av — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 21:28:10 GMT

@jameslo No.
There is only [int] and that only rounds down.
You could use binary I suppose...... https://forum.pdpatchrepo.info/topic/6591/binary-numbers
.....and then use the binops operators but it's a bit painful.
You can use [int] inside [expr] but I don't know how it behaves.....
David.

Reply to External for arbitrary precision decimals? on Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:07:55 GMT

whale-av — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:07:55 GMT

@jameslo Actually binops are not so painful.
My calculator is painful... the result has to be copied to the first memory for every future operation.... I have to remember that the operator is entered after both registers are filled.... and I have to keep track of the floating point in my head and move the little manual pointers so that I don't forget where I am...
Otherwise it is perfect, as it should be having cost as much as a Mercedes shooting break when it was new.....

So I bought a newer one... which has the bonus of pretty curved itron tube displays.... preserving the aura of the Nixie tubes without the heat and power consumption.

Just need an interface to connect it to Pd and all will be good.....
David.

Reply to External for arbitrary precision decimals? on Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:53:40 GMT

jameslo — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:53:40 GMT

@whale-av WOW!!! THOSE ARE MAGNIFICENT!!! I used to get teased at work for using an HP50g, but if I had one of those I could've told everyone off.

One of the search results suggested running a service in Java that exposes the BigDecimal API and all the operations (e.g. over OSC), so your idea isn't so far off, although the Arduino you'd have to use to implement the interface would probably have more computing power than both those calculators combined

Reply to External for arbitrary precision decimals? on Sun, 23 Aug 2026 17:30:25 GMT

porres — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 17:30:25 GMT

not sure what you need, but I could look into and add one to ELSE