1 03/06/84  exponent_control
 2 
 3 Syntax:  exponent_control -control_args
 4 
 5 
 6 Function:  controls the behavior of the system in the event of a
 7 computational overflow or underflow.
 8 
 9 
10 Control arguments:
11 -restart STRs, -rt STRs
12    specifies that overflow or underflow or both are to be automatically
13    restarted with defined results.  STRs can be either or both of the
14    strings "overflow" or "underflow."
15 -fault STRs, -flt STRs
16    specifies that overflow or underflow or both are to cause the normal
17    fault conditions.
18 -overflow_value STR, -ovfv STR
19    specifies the value to be returned for an overflowing computation.
20    STR must be specified.  If -overflow_value is omitted, the largest
21    possible floating point value is used.
22 -print, -pr
23    prints the current behavior with respect to exponent errors and the
24    current overflow value.
25 
26 
27 Notes: By default Multics signals fault conditions on computational
28 overflows and underflows (see the Programmer's Reference Manual, Order
29 No. AG91, for more information on faults and other unusual conditions).
30 
31 This command only affects the system's handling of exponent overflow
32 and underflow when the overflow or underflow condition is raised.  In
33 certain cases, the error condition is raised instead.  This command
34 does not affect the system's handling of the cases in which the error
35 condition is raised.