maximum int value

Is there a constant or a definition for a maximum number in perl? And
the same question for a minimum value?

Alon

You have some constants available through the %Config hash in Config.pm:

% perl -MConfig -le 'print "$_ = $Config{$_}" for grep /size$/, keys % 
Config'
charsize = 1
d_chsize =
doublesize = 8
fpossize = 8
gidsize = 4
i16size = 2
i32size = 4
i64size = 8
i8size = 1
intsize = 4
ivsize = 4
longdblsize = 16
longlongsize = 8
longsize = 4
...

So in this machine an int is 4 bytes (ivsize).

Nevertheless, Perl internally may switch to some floating-point type  
if it needs to:

% perl -MDevel::Peek -wle '$a = 1 << 31; Dump($a); $a *= 2; Dump($a)'
SV = IV(0x180cac8) at 0x1800f4c
   REFCNT = 1
   FLAGS = (IOK,pIOK,IsUV)
   UV = 2147483648
SV = PVNV(0x1803850) at 0x1800f4c
   REFCNT = 1
   FLAGS = (NOK,pNOK)
   IV = -2147483648
   NV = 4294967296
   PV = 0

and in consequence the number may look like an integer but not be  
accurate.

So this limit is well-defined in the sense of %Config, but at the  
level of Perl code the actual "type" of an integer depends on the  
implementation of the interpreter, and hence that limit has to be  
used carefully. The pragma integer adds some control:

% perl -Minteger -MDevel::Peek -wle '$a = 1 << 31; Dump($a); $a *= 2;  
Dump($a)'
SV = IV(0x180cad0) at 0x180061c
   REFCNT = 1
   FLAGS = (IOK,pIOK)
   IV = -2147483648
SV = IV(0x180cad0) at 0x180061c
   REFCNT = 1
   FLAGS = (IOK,pIOK)
   IV = 0

And, lastly, the pragma bigint removes the limit for integers in  
practice.

-- fxn

This may work for you

the biggest unsigned integer

$ perl -e 'print ~0'
18446744073709551615 # 64-bit integers

the maximum signed integer

$ perl -MConfig -e 'print( (1<<$Config{ivsize}*8-1)-1 )'
9223372036854775807

the minimum signed integer

$ perl -MConfig -e 'print -(1<<$Config{ivsize}*8-1)'
-9223372036854775808

I am not sure how general these expressions are. The illustrated
values are for 64bit integers.

Adriano.

I don't think so 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alon Marx" < XXXX@XXXXX.COM >
To: < XXXX@XXXXX.COM >
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 5:28 PM
Subject: maximum int value

Seems like a good solution for my needs, but how do I use it in a perl
program instead of an inline command? 

For example, if I try to set a variable with such a value: 
$a = (1<<$Config{ivsize}*8-1)-1;

I get an error "Global symbol "%Config" requires explicit package name
at"

Thanks, 
Alon

Alon Marx am Dienstag, 27. Dezember 2005 14.30:

You have to import the Config module with

	use Config;

Adriano imported it in the cmd line with

	-MConfig

hth, joe


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Works like a charm.
Thank you all.