DATATYPE Name
DATATYPE Purpose
Datatype of variable as a string (3 char or spelled out).
Category
Calling Sequence
typ = datatype(var, [flag]) Inputs
var = variable to examine. in
flag = output format flag (def=0). in
Keyword Parameters
Keywords
NUMERIC=num returns a code indicating numeric type:
0=non-numeric, 1=integer, 2=float, 3=complex.
INTEGER_BITS=bits returns number of bits if numeric:
0=Not Integer, 8=Byte, 16=Int, 32=Long, 64=Long 64.
Also for floating and complex. For a single element.
NUMBYTES=numbtyes Returned total number of bytes in var.
/DESCRIPTOR returns a descriptor for the given variable.
If the variable is a scalar the value is returned as
a string. If it is an array a description is return
just like the HELP command gives. Ex:
datatype(fltarr(2,3,5),/desc) gives
FLTARR(2,3,5) (flag always defaults to 3 for /DESC).
Outputs
typ = datatype string or number. out
flag=0 flag=1 flag=2 flag=3 flag=4
UND Undefined 0 UND UND
BYT Byte 1 BYT B
INT Integer 2 INT I
LON Long 3 LON L
FLO Float 4 FLT F
DOU Double 5 DBL D
COM Complex 6 COMPLEX C
STR String 7 STR S
STC Structure 8 STC STC
DCO DComplex 9 DCOMPLEX DC
PTR Pointer 10 PTR PTR
OBJ Object 11 OBJ OBJ
UIN U_Integer 12 UINT UI
ULO U_Long 13 ULON UL
LLO Long_64 14 LON64 L64
ULL U_Long_64 15 ULON64 UL64
Common Blocks
Notes
Notes: For a tag, val pair:
print, tag+' = '+datatype(val,/desc)
will give a nice description of the item. Could loop
through the tags and values of a structure this way.
Modification History
Written by R. Sterner, 24 Oct, 1985.
RES 29 June, 1988 --- added spelled out TYPE.
R. Sterner, 13 Dec 1990 --- Added strings and structures.
R. Sterner, 19 Jun, 1991 --- Added format 3.
R. Sterner, 18 Mar, 1993 --- Added /DESCRIPTOR.
R. Sterner, 1995 Jul 24 --- Added DCOMPLEX for data type 9.
R. Sterner, 1999 Jun 4 --- Added types 10 on, also numeric and bits.
R. Sterner, 2002 Oct 10 --- Now returns #bits for non-int numeric.
R. Sterner, 2004 May 18 --- Handled object descriptor.
R. Sterner, 2004 Sep 21 --- Made scalar /DESCRIPTOR type dependent.
R. Sterner, 2005 Apr 27 --- Fixed for scalar pointer with /DESCRIPTOR.
R. Sterner, 2008 Jan 03 --- Added flag=4 output.
R. Sterner, 2010 May 03 --- Converted arrays from () to [].
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Copyright (C) 1985, Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory
This software may be used, copied, or redistributed as long as it is not
sold and this copyright notice is reproduced on each copy made. This
routine is provided as is without any express or implied warranties
whatsoever. Other limitations apply as described in the file disclaimer.txt.