Semiconductor & Computer Engineering
$numbits returns the bit length of N, the number of bits in the base-2 representation of N.
Not to be confused with * $bits
Details
Numbits is the number of bits needed to represent the input number. In effect, for non-negative numbers it's the equivalent of $len($base(N,10,2)), and $numbits($calc(2^N)) is N+1. Thought, the return string from $base is limited by $maxlenl.
Results are inaccurate in non-bigfloat mode for N >= 2^32, as well as for negative numbers.
In non-bigfloat mode, N >= 2^32 returns '32', and negative numbers return unexpected results based on the length where the leftmost '1' are excluded, and everything <= -2^32 is '1'.
Synopsis
$numbits(N)
Parameters
- N - Integer
Properties
None
Example
//bigfloat on | var %n $rand(0,$calc(2^2048-1)) | echo -a the bit length of N is $numbits(%n) //var %n $rand(0,255) | echo -a the bit length of N is $numbits(%n) same as $len($base(%n,10,2))
Compatibility
Added: mIRC v7.72
Added on: 27 Nov 2022
Note: Unless otherwise stated, this was the date of original functionality.
Further enhancements may have been made in later versions.