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RBw.d

Language element:	format
Category:	numeric
Width range:	2 to 8
Default width:	4
Decimal range:	0 to 10
Alignment:	left
OpenVMS specifics:	native floating-point representation

w

specifies the width of the output field.

d

optionally specifies a scaling factor. When you specify a d value, the RBw.d format multiplies the number by the 10^d value, then applies the real binary format to that value.

Details

Under OpenVMS, the RBw.d format causes floating-point numbers to be formatted in the native floating-point representation. Numeric data for scientific calculations are commonly represented in floating-point notation. (The SAS System stores all numeric values in floating-point notation.) A floating-point value consists of two parts: a mantissa that gives the value and an exponent that gives the value's magnitude.

Real binary is the most efficient format for representing numeric values because the SAS System already represents numbers this way and no conversion is needed.

For more information about OpenVMS floating-point representation, see Architecture Reference Manual for Alpha and Architecture Reference Manual for VAX.

See Also

• Format: RBw.d in SAS Language Reference: Dictionary

• Informat: RBw.d

• Writing Binary Data

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