From: nobu.nokada@...
Date: 2003-05-30T04:59:05+09:00
Subject: Re: RCR: unpack/pack Bignum

Hi,

At Thu, 29 May 2003 20:37:07 +0900,
Robert Feldt wrote:
> > > How can this be used when I have a Bignum that I don't know how large it
> > > will be? 'N(*)'?
> >
> > I expect '(*)' would mean to convert all remained data like as
> > 'a*' does, though you need to know the exact template to pack/
> > unpack fundamentally.
> >
> Yes, but this should work then
> 
>   s = [large_bignum_or_really_any_int].pack("N(*)")
>   num = s.unpack("N(#{s.length})").first
>   # now num == large_bitnum_or_really_any_int
> 
> ?

By analogy with "a*", IMHO, it should fill least necessary
bytes (or words?).

But I don't guess variable length integer packing is so useful.
If the range were really unpredictable, BER might be better.

-- 
Nobu Nakada