_UNSIGNED - mkilgore/QB64pe GitHub Wiki

_UNSIGNED defines a numerical value as being only positive.

DIM variable AS [_UNSIGNED] datatype

_DEFINE letterRange AS [_UNSIGNED] datatype

• Datatype can be any of the following: INTEGER, LONG, _BIT, _BYTE, _INTEGER64, _OFFSET
• SINGLE, DOUBLE and _FLOAT variable types cannot be _UNSIGNED.
• _UNSIGNED can be used in a _DEFINE statement to set undefined variable name first letters as all positive-only values.
• Can also be used in DIM statements or subprocedure parameter definitions following AS.
• _UNSIGNED allows larger positive numerical variable value limits than signed ones.
• The unsigned variable type suffix used is the tilde (~), right before the number's own type suffix: variableName~&

                        00000001 - unsigned & signed are both 1    
                        01111111 - unsigned & signed are both 127  
                        11111111 - unsigned is 255 but signed is -1
                        11111110 - unsigned is 254 but signed is -2
                        11111101 - unsigned is 253 but signed is -3

Example 1: In QB64, when a signed INTEGER value exceeds 32767, the value may become a negative value:

 '' ''
i% = 38000
PRINT i% '' ''

-27536

Explanation: Use an _UNSIGNED INTEGER or a ~% variable type suffix for only positive integer values up to 65535.

 '' ''
i~% = 70000
PRINT i~% '' ''

 4464

Explanation: In QB64 an unsigned integer value of 65536 would be 0 with values increasing by the value minus 65536.

 '' ''
DIM n AS _UNSIGNED INTEGER
DIM pn AS _UNSIGNED INTEGER
LOCATE 3, 6: PRINT "Press Esc to exit loop"
FOR...NEXT n = 1 TO 80000
  _LIMIT 10000 ' 6.5 second loop 
  LOCATE 12, 37: PRINT n ' display current value
  IF...THEN n > 0 THEN pn = n ' find highest value
  IF...THEN n = 0 THEN Count = Count + 1: LOCATE 14, 37: PRINT "Count:"; Count; "Max:"; pn
  IF...THEN INP(&H60) = 1 THEN EXIT ' escape key exit
NEXT n
END '' ''

   Press Esc to exit loop




                           65462

                          Count: 13 Max: 65535

Explanation: The maximum value can only be 65535 (32767 + 32768) so the FOR loop repeats itself. Remove the _UNSIGNED parts and run it again.

• DECLARE, SUB, FUNCTION
• DIM, _DEFINE
• DEFSTR, DEFLNG, DEFINT, DEFSNG, DEFDBL
• INTEGER, LONG, _INTEGER64
• ABS, SGN
• Variable Types