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NAMEbigint - transparent big integer support for PerlSYNOPSISuse bigint; $x = 2 + 4.5; # Math::BigInt 6 print 2 ** 512; # Math::BigInt 134...096 print inf + 42; # Math::BigInt inf print NaN * 7; # Math::BigInt NaN print hex("0x1234567890123490"); # Perl v5.10.0 or later { no bigint; print 2 ** 256; # a normal Perl scalar now } # for older Perls, import into current package: use bigint qw/hex oct/; print hex("0x1234567890123490"); print oct("01234567890123490"); DESCRIPTIONAll numeric literal in the given scope are converted to Math::BigInt objects. Numeric literal that represent non-integers are truncated to an integer. All results of expressions are also truncated to integer.All operators (including basic math operations) except the range operator ".." are overloaded. Unlike the integer pragma, the "bigint" pragma creates integers that are only limited in their size by the available memory. So, the following: use bigint; $x = 1234; creates a Math::BigInt and stores a reference to in $x. This happens transparently and behind your back, so to speak. You can see this with the following: perl -Mbigint -le 'print ref(1234)' Since numbers are actually objects, you can call all the usual methods from Math::BigFloat on them. This even works to some extent on expressions: perl -Mbigint -le '$x = 1234; print $x->bdec()' perl -Mbigint -le 'print 1234->copy()->binc();' perl -Mbigint -le 'print 1234->copy()->binc->badd(6);' perl -Mbigint -le 'print +(1234)->copy()->binc()' (Note that print doesn't do what you expect if the expression starts with '(' hence the "+") You can even chain the operations together as usual: perl -Mbigint -le 'print 1234->copy()->binc->badd(6);' 1241 Please note the following does not work as expected (prints nothing), since overloading of '..' is not yet possible in Perl (as of v5.8.0): perl -Mbigint -le 'for (1..2) { print ref($_); }' use integer vs. use bigintThere are some difference between "use integer" and "use bigint".Whereas "use integer" is limited to what can be handled as a Perl scalar, "use bigint" can handle arbitrarily large integers. Also, "use integer" does affect assignments to variables and the return value of some functions. "use bigint" truncates these results to integer: # perl -Minteger -wle 'print 3.2' 3.2 # perl -Minteger -wle 'print 3.2 + 0' 3 # perl -Mbigint -wle 'print 3.2' 3 # perl -Mbigint -wle 'print 3.2 + 0' 3 # perl -Mbigint -wle 'print exp(1) + 0' 2 # perl -Mbigint -wle 'print exp(1)' 2 # perl -Minteger -wle 'print exp(1)' 2.71828182845905 # perl -Minteger -wle 'print exp(1) + 0' 2 In practice this seldom makes a difference for small integers as parts and results of expressions are truncated anyway, but this can, for instance, affect the return value of subroutines: sub three_integer { use integer; return 3.2; } sub three_bigint { use bigint; return 3.2; } print three_integer(), " ", three_bigint(),"\n"; # prints "3.2 3" Options"bigint" recognizes some options that can be passed while loading it via "use". The following options exist:
Math LibraryMath with the numbers is done (by default) by a backend library module called Math::BigInt::Calc. The default is equivalent to saying:use bigint lib => 'Calc'; you can change this by using: use bigint lib => 'GMP'; The following would first try to find Math::BigInt::Foo, then Math::BigInt::Bar, and if this also fails, revert to Math::BigInt::Calc: use bigint lib => 'Foo,Math::BigInt::Bar'; Using c<lib> warns if none of the specified libraries can be found and Math::BigInt fell back to one of the default libraries. To suppress this warning, use c<try> instead: use bigint try => 'GMP'; If you want the code to die instead of falling back, use "only" instead: use bigint only => 'GMP'; Please see the respective module documentation for further details. Method callsSince all numbers are now objects, you can use all methods that are part of the Math::BigInt API.But a warning is in order. When using the following to make a copy of a number, only a shallow copy will be made. $x = 9; $y = $x; $x = $y = 7; Using the copy or the original with overloaded math is okay, e.g., the following work: $x = 9; $y = $x; print $x + 1, " ", $y,"\n"; # prints 10 9 but calling any method that modifies the number directly will result in both the original and the copy being destroyed: $x = 9; $y = $x; print $x->badd(1), " ", $y,"\n"; # prints 10 10 $x = 9; $y = $x; print $x->binc(1), " ", $y,"\n"; # prints 10 10 $x = 9; $y = $x; print $x->bmul(2), " ", $y,"\n"; # prints 18 18 Using methods that do not modify, but test that the contents works: $x = 9; $y = $x; $z = 9 if $x->is_zero(); # works fine See the documentation about the copy constructor and "=" in overload, as well as the documentation in Math::BigInt for further details. Methods
CAVEATS
EXAMPLESSome cool command line examples to impress the Python crowd ;) You might want to compare them to the results under -Mbignum or -Mbigrat:perl -Mbigint -le 'print sqrt(33)' perl -Mbigint -le 'print 2*255' perl -Mbigint -le 'print 4.5+2*255' perl -Mbigint -le 'print 123->is_odd()' perl -Mbigint=l,GMP -le 'print 7 ** 7777' BUGSPlease report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-bignum at rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at <https://rt.cpan.org/Ticket/Create.html?Queue=bignum> (requires login). We will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.SUPPORTYou can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.perldoc bigint You can also look for information at:
LICENSEThis program is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.SEE ALSObignum and bigrat.Math::BigInt, Math::BigFloat, Math::BigRat and Math::Big as well as Math::BigInt::FastCalc, Math::BigInt::Pari and Math::BigInt::GMP. AUTHORS
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