Informix

According to multiple sources, the ranges of a FLOAT are:

Positive numbers: Min Value: 1.175494351E-38 and Max Value: 3.402823466E+38

Negative Numbers: Min value: -3.402823466E+38 and Max Value: -1.175494351E-38

Given that, why can I successfully insert into an Informix SMALLFLOAT a value of -5.6051938E-45, which is greater than the maximum value? 

Yet, I can not insert a  SMALLFLOAT value of 3.4028234E+39, which is greater than the maximum value:

I've experimented a little by decreasing the exponent for negative numbers and when the exponent gets to -46, the update fails.

Sure seems to me that this is a bug in Informix.

Appreciate any input!

Looks like the highest negative number (closest to zero) I can insert into a smallfloat, using dbaccess, is -1.175494281E-38.

I'm using 14.10.FC10 on Linux - what's yours?

According to multiple sources, the ranges of a FLOAT are:

Positive numbers: Min Value: 1.175494351E-38 and Max Value: 3.402823466E+38

Negative Numbers: Min value: -3.402823466E+38 and Max Value: -1.175494351E-38

Given that, why can I successfully insert into an Informix SMALLFLOAT a value of -5.6051938E-45, which is greater than the maximum value? 

Yet, I can not insert a  SMALLFLOAT value of 3.4028234E+39, which is greater than the maximum value:

I've experimented a little by decreasing the exponent for negative numbers and when the exponent gets to -46, the update fails.

Sure seems to me that this is a bug in Informix.

Appreciate any input!

Hi Andreas,

I'm also 14.10.FC10, but on Windows:

E:\Programs\informix>oninit -V
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Version 14.10.FC10W2DE
 Thu Feb 1 12:57:41 CST 2024

E:\Programs\informix>

Can you try on Windows and see what you get?

Thanks,

Rick

Looks like the highest negative number (closest to zero) I can insert into a smallfloat, using dbaccess, is -1.175494281E-38.

I'm using 14.10.FC10 on Linux - what's yours?

According to multiple sources, the ranges of a FLOAT are:

Positive numbers: Min Value: 1.175494351E-38 and Max Value: 3.402823466E+38

Negative Numbers: Min value: -3.402823466E+38 and Max Value: -1.175494351E-38

Given that, why can I successfully insert into an Informix SMALLFLOAT a value of -5.6051938E-45, which is greater than the maximum value? 

Yet, I can not insert a  SMALLFLOAT value of 3.4028234E+39, which is greater than the maximum value:

I've experimented a little by decreasing the exponent for negative numbers and when the exponent gets to -46, the update fails.

Sure seems to me that this is a bug in Informix.

Appreciate any input!

Oh, yeah, tried it, and explored a little further: looks like specifically on Windows that minimum (absolute) value can be a LOT smaller than on other platforms, both for SMALLFLOAT and FLOAT.

Strange since neither float nor double data types seem to support this...

Hi Andreas,

I'm also 14.10.FC10, but on Windows:

E:\Programs\informix>oninit -V
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Version 14.10.FC10W2DE
 Thu Feb 1 12:57:41 CST 2024

E:\Programs\informix>

Can you try on Windows and see what you get?

Thanks,

Rick

Looks like the highest negative number (closest to zero) I can insert into a smallfloat, using dbaccess, is -1.175494281E-38.

I'm using 14.10.FC10 on Linux - what's yours?

According to multiple sources, the ranges of a FLOAT are:

Positive numbers: Min Value: 1.175494351E-38 and Max Value: 3.402823466E+38

Negative Numbers: Min value: -3.402823466E+38 and Max Value: -1.175494351E-38

Given that, why can I successfully insert into an Informix SMALLFLOAT a value of -5.6051938E-45, which is greater than the maximum value? 

Yet, I can not insert a  SMALLFLOAT value of 3.4028234E+39, which is greater than the maximum value:

I've experimented a little by decreasing the exponent for negative numbers and when the exponent gets to -46, the update fails.

Sure seems to me that this is a bug in Informix.

Appreciate any input!