abs function

Syntax

$abs(number)

Technical

abs() returns the absolute value of number using the C library's fabs() operation. It accepts a floating-point number, including a decimal fraction or scientific notation. Only the first argument word is used; additional words are ignored.

The normal rules about number arguments apply: a missing argument returns the empty string, and the argument is converted with atof(). A nonnumeric argument converts to zero; a numeric prefix can be accepted even when followed by nonnumeric text. This function does not validate that the entire argument is a number.

Returns and restrictions

The result is a string formatted with %.50g: whole-number results normally have no decimal point, and large or small values may use scientific notation. The operation always uses a C double, regardless of the floating_point_math or floating_point_precision settings. Large integers can lose precision, and values outside the platform's floating-point range are not reliable inputs. Displaying up to 50 significant digits does not give the calculation 50 digits of accuracy.

The shared math-function wrapper returns DOM for a reported domain error, RANGE for a reported range error, and the empty string for another reported error. fabs() ordinarily succeeds for finite inputs; these error strings do not provide validation of the original numeric conversion.

Examples

History

The abs() function first appeared in EPIC4-1.1.2.

Source

source/functions.c registers abs and implements function_abs through the shared math-function macros. include/functions.h defines floating-point argument conversion and result formatting.