Re: Problems with 64-bit numbers

[Mike Griebling <grieblm@trt.allied.com>]

Any ideas on what happens with the SET data type once
the compiler is ported to a 64-bit computer?

I would tend to make the SET type 64 bits but some would
say that this will "automatically double all our memory
requirements" and there is also the issue of binary
compatibility with existing applications which store SET
types to files.

As a recommendation, and in the spirit of the HUGEINT
extension of the 32-bit integers, I would propose a
similar HUGESET which would allow representation of
64-bit sets.  (As an aside, some operating systems
support sets which are smaller than 32-bits so it
may also be useful to consider adding support for
smaller sets in the SYSTEM module).

I can see the following additional set types defined
in the SYSTEM:

	SHORTSET  -- 8-bit set
        WORDSET   -- 16-bit set

I'm not so sure whether the HUGESET should also be
declared in the SYSTEM module or built into the language.

Michael G.