This is a new word introduced by MPE. It avoids some of the complications when
using #> to return the current contents of the PNO buffer. The definition is:

HELD ( -- caddr len )

Return the address and length of the string held in the pictured numeric output
buffer.

HELD is a factor of #> allowing the latter to be defined:

: #> 2DROP HELD ;

So if you've found yourself writing 0 0 #> or <# 2DUP HOLDS #> to avoid the
2DROP built into #> then HELD may be a neater solution.

dxf wrote:

> This is a new word introduced by MPE. It avoids some of the complications when
> using #> to return the current contents of the PNO buffer. The definition is:

> HELD ( -- caddr len )

> Return the address and length of the string held in the pictured numeric output
> buffer.

> HELD is a factor of #> allowing the latter to be defined:

> : #> 2DROP HELD ;

> So if you've found yourself writing 0 0 #> or <# 2DUP HOLDS #> to avoid the
> 2DROP built into #> then HELD may be a neater solution.

Doesn't everybody use the low level factors of "." etc.? Wanting to format
a number in a special way is rather infrequent, but not wanting to print a
number right away is common.

25 (.) TYPE
PI (F.) TYPE

-marcel

-marcel

On 25/04/2024 4:35 pm, mhx wrote:
> ...
> Doesn't everybody use the low level factors of "." etc.? Wanting to format
> a number in a special way is rather infrequent, but not wanting to print a
> number right away is common.
> 25 (.)  TYPE
> PI (F.) TYPE

(F.) is an example of where I used HELD two or three times. Some others:

\ Return string right-aligned as a2 u2. Uses HOLD buffer
: RJUST ( a u +n c -- a2 u2 )
>r >r <# shold held r> over - 0 max r> nhold #> ;

\ Get the full directory path for logical disk drive u
: PATH ( u -- c-addr u2 ior )
zbuf @ 2dup 'SI ! 'DX c! $47 doscall doserr? >r
<# zcount dup if [char] \ hold then shold s" :\\" shold
>drv [char] A + hold held r> ;

HOLDS (200x) recognizes that the numeric conversion buffer can and is used for
string processing. In that situation HELD is often more appropriate than #> .

dxf wrote:

[..]
> (F.) is an example of where I used HELD two or three times. Some others:

> \ Return string right-aligned as a2 u2. Uses HOLD buffer
> : RJUST ( a u +n c -- a2 u2 )
> >r >r <# shold held r> over - 0 max r> nhold #> ;
[..]
> HOLDS (200x) recognizes that the numeric conversion buffer can and is used for
> string processing. In that situation HELD is often more appropriate than #> .

I was never really satisfied with this low-level assembly work.
Nowadays I use device redirection to a string, for example:

: dd>matlab ( F: sel -- ) ( -col -- c-addr u )
FLOCAL sel
LOCAL -col
|resudata 0= IF S" >matlab :: ERROR :: TASK-DATA is unavailable." EXIT ENDIF
<$$ ." %% iSPICE output" CR ." % "
#|params 0 ?DO I -col <> IF |head .pnames I CSTR[] .$ .FOURTABS
ENDIF
LOOP
#|results 0 ?DO I >headrow .resname .$ .FOURTABS LOOP
CR ." data = ["
#|tasks
0 ?DO -col 0> IF |head .paramdata I #|params * -col +
DFLOAT[] DF@ sel -1e-4 F~ ( equal to 0.01% )
ELSE TRUE
ENDIF
IF CR #|params 0 ?DO I -col
<> IF |head .paramdata
J #|params * I +
DFLOAT[] DF@ +E. 3 SPACES
ENDIF
LOOP
#|results 0 ?DO |resudata J #|results * I +
DFLOAT[] DF@ +E. 3 SPACES
LOOP
ENDIF
LOOP
CR ." ];"
CR
$$> ;

: .JOB>console ( -- ) 0e -1 dd>matlab TYPE ;
: .JOB>matlab ( -- ) 0e -1 dd>matlab MFILE-NAME DUMP-TO-FILE ;

-marcel

On 25/04/2024 8:51 pm, mhx wrote:
> dxf wrote:
>
> [..]
>> (F.) is an example of where I used HELD two or three times.  Some others:
>
>> \ Return string right-aligned as a2 u2. Uses HOLD buffer
>> : RJUST ( a u +n c -- a2 u2 )
>>   >r >r  <# shold held  r> over - 0 max  r> nhold #> ;
> [..]
>> HOLDS (200x) recognizes that the numeric conversion buffer can and is used for
>> string processing.  In that situation HELD is often more appropriate than #> .
>
> I was never really satisfied with this low-level assembly work. Nowadays I use device redirection to a string, for example:
> ...

Well-factored code has a simplicity and a rightness to it. When one sees
something that irreducible, all the other machinations go out the window.

On 25/04/2024 10:05 pm, dxf wrote:
> On 25/04/2024 8:51 pm, mhx wrote:
>> dxf wrote:
>>
>> [..]
>>> (F.) is an example of where I used HELD two or three times.  Some others:
>>
>>> \ Return string right-aligned as a2 u2. Uses HOLD buffer
>>> : RJUST ( a u +n c -- a2 u2 )
>>>   >r >r  <# shold held  r> over - 0 max  r> nhold #> ;
>> [..]
>>> HOLDS (200x) recognizes that the numeric conversion buffer can and is used for
>>> string processing.  In that situation HELD is often more appropriate than #> .
>>
>> I was never really satisfied with this low-level assembly work. Nowadays I use device redirection to a string, for example:
>> ...
>
> Well-factored code has a simplicity and a rightness to it. When one sees
> something that irreducible, all the other machinations go out the window.

Regarding redirection I'd say apps intended for disk output are written that
way which implies functions have string output. If OTOH apps are written
for console output, then usually the OS has a mechanism for redirection in
which case the app writer need not concern himself.