Use of USING() statement with negative numbers

[joeg]

I'd like to format a resulting negative number via the USING() statement, if possible. Positive numbers have no issues.

For example (with negative result):

L= 54.11 - 56

PRINT L       'PRINTS THE NEGATIVE NUMBER WITHOUT FORMATTING APPLIED

L$=USING("##.##",L)

L=VAL(L$)

PRINT L       'PRINTS 0

What rule(s) am I violating?

[Walt Decker]

L = 54.11 - 56
PRINT USING("###.###", L)
L$ = USING("###.###", L)
PRINT L$

[joeg]

Thank you! Not enough ### leading symbols. One must be needed by the sign. What does the leading % mean when that is present (not that it is showing up now)?

[Walt Decker]

Means the format string is not large enough to accomodate the value of its target, E. G:

NumDec = -1234.567

PRINT USING("###.###", NumDec)

EDIT: You can obtain a reasonable format string for the above by using the functions I recently placed in the "Libery BASIC code" thread topic "Share Your Snipped II".

[joeg]

Thank you. Follow-up question - Does the USING() command support forcing a $ into the output like GW-BASIC does? If not, what's the best practice to formatting the output with a leading "$"?

Example in GW-BASIC:
PRINT USING "$$###.##";456.78
$456.78

[Walt Decker]

No.

Dollor = 456.78
DolStr$ = USING("###.##", Dollor)
DolStr$ = "$" + DolStr$
PRINT DolStr$

[joeg]

Interesting! I like the logic challenge of coming up with that workaround solution. Thanks once again!

[Walt Decker]

FYI, USING() will not split a number into 100s either.
I do have a dll that will format number in multiple ways, but the input is rather complicated.

You can obtain a reasonable format string by using the functions I recently placed in the "Libery BASIC code" thread topic "Share Your Snippets II". There is also a function that will split a number into 100s. It is all native LB.

[Brandon Parker]

Another thing that might be useful is the ability to remove/suppress the "%" Over/Underrun indicator and trim the result if desired.

Global False : False = 0
Global True : True = 1

var= 54.11 - 57

Print suppressOverflow$(var, True)
Print Using("###.###", var)
End

Function suppressOverflow$(value, trim)
   suppressOverflow$ = Using("###.###", value)
   suppressOverflow$ = Mid$(suppressOverflow$, (Instr(suppressOverflow$, "%") + 1))
   If trim Then suppressOverflow$ = Trim$(suppressOverflow$)
End Function


{:0)

Brandon Parker

[joeg]

Nice! Thank you, Brandon!