Re: Why dial-a-standard is not a thing in Forth

On 23/04/2025 8:21 pm, mhx wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2025 0:50:13 +0000, dxf wrote:
 

On 22/04/2025 12:19 am, sjack wrote:

dxf <dxforth@gmail.com> wrote:

[..]

16 base !  10 cvd decimal . 10  ok
2  base !  10 cvd decimal . 10  ok
36 base ! -10 cvd decimal . -10  ok

 
Why not store the number as text in this case?

Where, when?

What is the advantage? As a user I still need
to know the BASE (unless it is assumed to be
always 10).

The context of the routine was that the user had already input a
number (i.e. it's on the stack) in a base possibly different from
decimal but needed the number interpreted as if it were decimal.

There are certainly limitations e.g. if I'm in hex and using a 16-bit
forth the maximum digits I can enter is 4.  If I'm in octal I can't
enter '8' or '9'.