NAME
Math::BaseCalc - Convert numbers between various bases
SYNOPSIS
use Math::BaseCalc;
my $calc = new Math::BaseCalc(digits => [0,1]); #Binary
my $bin_string = $calc->to_base(65); # Convert 465 to binary
$calc->digits('oct'); # Octal
my $number = $calc->from_base('1574'); # Convert octal 1574 to decimal
DESCRIPTION
This module facilitates the conversion of numbers between various number
bases. You may define your own digit sets, or use any of several
predefined digit sets.
The to_base() and from_base() methods convert between Perl numbers and
strings which represent these numbers in other bases. For instance, if
you're using the binary digit set [0,1], $calc->to_base(5) will return
the string "101". $calc->from_base("101") will return the number 5.
To convert between, say, base 7 and base 36, use the 2-step process of
first converting to a Perl number, then to the desired base for the
result:
$calc7 = new Math::BaseCalc(digits=>[0..7]);
$calc36 = new Math::BaseCalc(digits=>[0..9,'a'..'z'];
$in_base_36 = $calc36->to_base( $calc7->from_base('3506') );
If you just need to handle regular octal & hexdecimal strings, you
probably don't need this module. See the sprintf(), oct(), and hex()
Perl functions.
METHODS
* new Math::BaseCalc
* new Math::BaseCalc(digits=>...)
Create a new base calculator. You may specify the digit set to use,
by either giving the digits in a list reference (in increasing
order, with the 'zero' character first in the list) or by specifying
the name of one of the predefined digit sets (see the digit() method
below).
* $calc->to_base(NUMBER)
Converts a number to a string representing that number in the
associated base. Currently only handles integers.
* $calc->from_base(STRING)
Converts a string representing a number in the associated base to a
Perl integer. Currently only handles integers. The behavior when fed
strings with characters not in $calc's digit set is currently
undefined.
* $calc->digits
* $calc->digits(...)
Get/set the current digit set of the calculator. With no arguments,
simply returns a list of the characters that make up the current
digit set. To change the current digit set, pass a list reference
containing the new digits, or the name of a predefined digit set.
Currently the predefined digit sets are:
bin => [0,1],
hex => [0..9,'a'..'f'],
HEX => [0..9,'A'..'F'],
oct => [0..7],
64 => ['A'..'Z','a'..'z',0..9,'+','/'],
62 => [0..9,'a'..'z','A'..'Z'],
Examples:
$calc->digits('bin');
$calc->digits([0..7]);
$calc->digits([qw(w a l d o)]);
If any of your "digits" has more than one character, the behavior is
currently undefined.
QUESTIONS
The '64' digit set is meant to be useful for Base64 encoding. I took it
from the MIME::Base64.pm module. Does it look right? It's sure in a
strange order.
AUTHOR
Ken Williams,
[email protected]
COPYRIGHT
This is free software in the colloquial nice-guy sense of the word.
Copyright (c) 1999, Ken Williams. You may redistribute and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl itself.
SEE ALSO
perl(1).
