αβγ
Converting numbers between modes
When you switch between modes, or recall a number from a memory
register or the clipboard (paste), conversions are applied following
these rules:
- When switching away from the Complex mode, the imaginary part of
all stack registers are lost.
- When switching into a binary mode, the fractional part of all
stack registers are lost.
- When selecting a smaller word size in binary modes (to 16 or 8
bits), the most significant bits of all stack registers are lost.
- The binary numbers are always treated as signed 2’s complement,
so for example the value (hex) FF will translate into -1
when 8-bit word size is selected, otherwise 255.
- When you switch into one of the binary modes (from Decimal or
Complex), the values of all stack registers must normally fit into the
current word size. If any value is too large (e.g. 200 when 8 bit
operation is selected), the switch will not be allowed. You can adjust
this setting with Binary overflow as zero in the Configuration Dialog.
- When a memory register containing a Decimal, Complex or
Fractional number is recalled to the X register in a binary
mode, the value must always fit into the current word size, otherwise
the recall operation is not performed. The fractional and imaginary
parts are lost.
- When a memory register containing a binary number is recalled to
the X register in a binary mode, the high-order bits are lost
if the current word size is too small.
- A number pasted from the clipboard in binary mode will always be
truncated as appropriate, i.e., a fractional part as well as high-order
bits are chopped off if needed.