form( Real, RealFormat )

form( Single, SciFormat )
form( Double, SciFormat )

form( Single, HexSciFormat )
form( Double, HexSciFormat )

Formatting a Fixed Point Real Number

RealFormat := EqualSpace  DecimalNumber  EqualSpace
EqualSpace := {('='  Printable  Repeat)* | (' '  Repeat)}*

IF   abs(Real) > .00009   AND   -99999.99999 <= Real <= 99999.99999
THEN   Form = "MD#.ZN4"   ELSE   Form = "MZ.Z5eMD#"

Floating point numbers may be displayed as decimal or hexadecimal values. If a Fraction field is given, a mantissa is optional

Formatting Scientific Decimal Real Values

SciFormat    := EqualSpace  SciMantissa  '.'  [Fraction]  Exponent  EqualSpace
Exponent     := {'E' | 'e'}  Sign  {'N' | 'n'}*  {'D' | 'd'}*  ['#']

EqualSpace   := {('='  Printable  Repeat)* | (' '  Repeat)}*
Printable    := ' ' to '~'
Repeat       := ['1' to '9'  ['0' to '9']]

SciMantissa  := Sign  NullUnder  DecimalUnder
Sign         := ['M' | 'm' | 'S' | 's']

NullUnder    :=    (Null  '_'*)*
DecimalUnder := (Decimal  '_'*)*  Decimal

Scientific Hexadecimal Real Value Format

HexSciFormat := EqualSpace  Sign  HexReal  HexExponent  EqualSpace
Sign        := ['M' | 'm' | 'S' | 's']

EqualSpace  := {('='  Printable  Repeat)* | (' '  Repeat)}*
Printable   := ' ' to '~'
Repeat      := ['1' to '9'  ['0' to '9']]

HexReal     := ['#']  '1.'  HexRadix    ['#']
HexRadix    := Hex  ('_'*  Hex)*
Hex         := {'H' | 'h'}  Repeat

HexExponent := {'P' | 'p'}  Sign  Hex+  ['#']

Hexadecimal floating point numbers are written using scientific notation. The mantissa has an optional sign, an optional literal, and "1." followed by a hexadecimal fractional part. The exponent field is reqired and is two raised to the power of a signed hexadecimal integer.

    Number of hex digits with embedded underscores

       'H'  ==>  upper case 'A' to 'F' digits
       'h'  ==>  lower case 'a' to 'f' digits

       two digit size  ==>  number of digits to return
    '#' after leading  ==>  return only as many digits as needed

          Note 1: The Space, Underscore, and Comma will only appear if preceded
                by a numeral.

          Note 2: If anything that is not a letter or number appears in the 
                  template the entire template must be surrounded by quotes.

          Note 3: The asterisk may not appear to the left of the decimal point
                  for any reason whatsoever. It also must not appear to the 
                  right of a fixed position special character.

       Leading  characters may appear to the left  of the radiax.
       Repetition of a Leading character in the template requires that
       the result must also be a character that is permitted by the next
       character to the right.

          Z    Includes zeros in the result.
               The  result will not be a blank.

          N    Makes the leading spaces null if ocupied by zeros
               else it makes them a digit.


       S and M may only appear as Leading characters in Decimal format only.
       
          S   Either  + or  -  in the result.
              +   will appear in the result if  Expression >= 0;
              -   will appear in the result if  Expression < 0.

          M   Either a blank  or  -  in the result.
              -   will appear in the result if  Expression < 0;
              a blank, null, or digit will appear in the result if
              Expression >= 0 (which one depends on the default)

          Expressions of integer types  will be evaluated as  signed 
          integers when either S or M is specified.
 

       Trailing characters may appear to the right of the radiax.

          Z  As a Trailing character, Z forces 0 after  the result by rounding.
             Trailing Zs repeated signifies rounding to the last digit.