From: Eric Hodel <drbrain@...7.net>
Date: 2006-08-31T08:47:10+09:00
Subject: Re: rinda and ruby numbers

On Aug 29, 2006, at 6:04 PM, Xaea Alvein wrote:

> Timothy Goddard wrote:
>> Memory allocation is not your concern unless you are using the C API.
>> Memory is allocated as required and dead objects are garbage  
>> collected.
>> Although process memory will not yet shrink in Ruby (it doesn't  
>> have a
>> compacting garbage collector) it will be reused for new objects. Ruby
>> numbers will automatically generate instances of Bignum for any
>> operation which would overflow the range of a Fixnum object. The  
>> effect
>> of this is they grow as required to fit large numbers.
>>
>> What exactly do you want to do? Maybe we can help if you explain your
>> problem.
>
> i am trying to control the behaviour of my tuplespace items  
> (objects put
> into tuplespace) by assuring that the sizes of the items are static
> (i.e. numbers won't change class into Bignum from Fixnum, etc). so  
> aside
> bitwising, is there any other method to manipulate those numbers (ruby
> switches maybe)?

A Fixnum is always a Fixnum, and a Bignum is always a Bignum.  If you  
subtract one from a Bignum at the Bignum/Fixnum boundary you'll get a  
Fixnum, and vice versa.  The number won't change class underneath you  
(5 will always be a Fixnum, never a Bignum).

If you want to move the boundary switch from or to a 32 bit machine.

-- 
Eric Hodel - drbrain@segment7.net - http://blog.segment7.net

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