Big numbers in MS Access

[GSMike]

What's the deal with numbers with more than 15 digits?? I mean, you take
66,200,100,054,470,002
66,200,100,054,470,003
66,200,100,054,470,004
66,200,100,054,470,005
66,200,100,054,470,048
and it displays them all as
66,200,100,054,470,000
Man, I thought a double data type was supposed to be accurate to, what is it, 1.79769313486231E308?
What's the deal? I've heard of false advertising..but this is a little absurd. Am I missing something?
Thanks for your help.

 

[ghubbell]

Hi Michael, I'm testing this as we speak but I have to ask: what is this number? Is it a billion zillion or a zillion billion?

If there's a dollar sign in front of it can I come to work for you?

I'll keep poking here and see what I can see...
Gord
ghubbell@total.net

 

[MichaelRed]

I think you are confusing range and accuracy. ALL floating point values are subject to the limtations of the base 2 system.
MichaelRed
redmsp@erols.com

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[gwinn7]

I am assuming you are using the Format() function to actually display the number. I am able to reproduce your situtation this way. My guess is that it is a limitation of the Format() function. You may have to find or write a function to properly convert your number to the format you are looking for.

Gary
gwinn7

 

[GSMike]

Thanks, Mike for your help on this.
I may be confusing range with accuracy; this is particularly possible since I don't know the difference
I assume that accuracy rules are a "subset" of range rules, meaning that while a data format may allow for a certain range (as in 1.797...E308 for the Double data type) it may not guaranty accuracy for the entire range.
I have been told that for Office products the limit for accuracy is 15 digits to the left of the decimal point and 4 digits to the right. Is this correct? Is this what you mean when you say "base 2 system"?
Thanks again.