[Python-Dev] Python rounding and/or rint

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Tim Peters wrote:
> [Andrew P. Lentvorski]
> 
>>The primary argument against rint was the lack of being able to write
>>portable code.  In this instance, the *lack* of rint (or its use in
>>round()) prevents writing portable code as I have no means to match the
>>rounding semantics of my FP ops from within Python.
> 
> Sorry, but neither does Python.  I suggest you write an extension module
> with your favorite C9X gimmicks (this isn't hard), and offer it for use on
> C9X platforms.  Eventually there may be enough of those that we could fold
> the new functions into the core.  Before then, you may find more people in
> the NumPy community willing and able to wrestle with reams of platform
> #ifdefs for numeric gimmicks.

Another approach would be to use GNU MP's cousin MPFR which has
a few well-defined rounding modes built in apart from various
other goodies which make dealing with floating point numbers
platform independent. Another interesting extension to GNU MP is
MPFI which implements interval arithmetics -- also nice to have
if you're deep into dealing with rounding errors.

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
CEO eGenix.com Software GmbH
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