Hi,

So it is not easy, perhaps even impossible if the processor doesn't set a flag .

e.g. fact n begins first with a lis of negative numbers (after overflow) then comes again a list with positive numbers and then it remains = 0

Scott

----- Original Message -----

From: Xavier Leroy

To: Sven LUTHER

Cc: Luc Maranget ; Scott J, ; caml-list@inria.fr

Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2002 8:57 PM

Subject: Re: [Caml-list] Runtime overflow and what to do

> But it is the lower bit that is ignored, no, si i guess incrementing an
> ocaml integer by 1, correspond to incrementing the machine integer by
> two, and would set the overflow flag in the processor status register
> all the same, would it not ?

Yes, except that not all processors have overflow flags. The Alpha
and the MIPS don't, for instance. Integer arithmetic modulo a power
of 2 is unpleasant for certain applications (and very useful for
others, e.g. hash functions and cryptography), but this is really all
what today's processors offer.

- Xavier Leroy