From: jean at stat.ubc.ca (Jean Meloche)
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 16:47:14 +0000
Subject: possible bug in 1.5.1
Message-ID: <37234712.2E95BC37@stat.ubc.ca>
X-UID: 1419                                                  

I am using python to import a SAS database into a
relational database and I'm running into some trouble
with the real number Infinity. I've had trouble with
it before... SAS uses -Infinity to signal exceptional
cases.

One of my functions tests to a Infinity field:

	Infinity=1e1000
	if rec['HC4']==Infinity: do_something

The code fails because *sometimes* Infinity takes
value Inf and *sometimes* it takes value 0.0...
I've also added the line

	print 1e1000

and it sometimes print Inf and sometimes print 0.0.

How can I create a Infinite float in python with
certainty? I'm using a RedHat 5.2 system on Intel.


Many thanks and please reply to

jean at stat.ubc.ca

-- 
Jean Meloche




