!/usr/bin/perl -w
 3159mLT - Math::BaseCnv.pm created by Pip@CPAN.Org to convert between 
   arbitrary number bases.  I'm totally addicted to bass!

NAME

Math::BaseCnv - fast functions to convert between number bases

VERSION

This documentation refers to version 1.2.4CCJFl7 of 
Math::BaseCnv, which was released on Sun Dec 12 19:15:47:07 2004.

SYNOPSIS

  use Math::BaseCnv;

  # Convert 63 from base-10 (decimal) to base-2 (binary)
  $binary_63 = cnv( 63, 10, 2 ); 

DESCRIPTION

BaseCnv provides a few simple functions for converting between 
arbitrary number bases.  It is as fast as I currently know how to 
make it (of course relying only on the lovely Perl).  If you 
would rather utilize an object syntax for number-base conversion, 
please see Ken Williams's <ken@forum.swarthmore.edu> fine 
L<Math::BaseCalc> module.

2DO

- better error checking

- handle fractional parts? umm but I like using '.' as a b64 char
          so ',' comma as separator?

-    What else does BaseCnv need?

WHY?

The reason I created BaseCnv was that I needed a simple way to 
convert quickly between the 3 number bases I use most (10, 16, &&
64).  It turned out that it was trivial to handle any number base 
that could be represented as characters.  High-bit ASCII proved 
somewhat problemmatic but at least BaseCnv can convert between any
possible base between 2 && 128 which is much more than I originally
needed.  I'm quite happy with it && employ b64() too much now =).
I'm totally addicted to bass!  Sometimes I intentionally misspell
'base' as 'bass' because I'm a dork who likes bass in my face.

USAGE

cnv($numb[,$from[,$tobs]])

CoNVert the number contained in $numb from its current number base
($from) into the result number base ($tobs).

B<When only $numb is provided as a parameter:>

If $numb only contains valid decimal (base 10) digits, it will be
converted to hexadecimal (base 16).

If $numb only contains valid hexadecimal (base 16) digits or begins
with '0x', it will be it will be converted to decimal (base 10).

B<When only $numb && $from are provided as parameters:>

cnv() assumes that $numb is already in decimal format && uses $from
as the $tobs.

B<When all three parameters are provided:>

The normal (&& most clear) usage of cnv() is to provide all three
parameters where $numb is converted from $from base to $tobs.

cnv() is the only function that is exported from a normal 
'use Math::BaseCnv;' command.  The other functions below can be imported
to local namespaces explicitly or with the following tags:

    :all - every function described here
    :hex - only dec() && hex()
    :b64 - only b10() && b64() && cnv()
    :dig - only dig() && diginit()
    :sfc - only summ(), fact(), && choo()

b10($b64n)

A shortcut to convert the number given as a parameter 
($b64n) from base 64 to decimal (base 10).

b64($b10n)

A shortcut to convert the number given as a parameter 
($b10n) from decimal (base 10) to base 64.

dec($b16n)

A shortcut to convert the number given as a parameter 
($b16n) from hexadecimal (base 16) to decimal (base 10).

hex($b10n)

A shortcut to convert the number given as a parameter 
($b10n) from decimal (base 10) to hexadecimal (base 16).

Please read the [NOTES] regarding hex().

dig(\@newd)

Assign the new digit character list to be used in 
place of the default one.  dig() can also alternately accept a 
string name matching one of the following predefined digit sets:

    'bin' => ['0', '1']
    'oct' => ['0'..'7']
    'dec' => ['0'..'9']
    'hex' => ['0'..'9', 'a'..'f']
    'HEX' => ['0'..'9', 'A'..'F']
    'b62' => ['0'..'9', 'a'..'z', 'A'..'Z']
    '64'  => ['A'..'Z', 'a'..'z', '0'..'9', '+', '/'] # MIME::Base64
    'b64' => ['0'..'9', 'A'..'Z', 'a'..'z', '.', '_'] 
    '128' => ['0'..'9', 'A'..'Z', 'a'..'z', '.', '_'... higher chars

If no \@newd list or digit set name is provided as a parameter, 
dig() returns the current character list.  It's fine to have many
more characters in your current digit set than will be used with
your conversions (eg. using dig('128') works fine for any cnv()
call with $from && $tobs params less than or equal to 128).

An example of a \@newd parameter for a specified alternate digit 
set for base 9 conversions is:

    dig( [ qw( n a c h o z   y u m ) ] );

diginit()

Resets the used digit list to the initial default order
of the predefined digit set: '128'.  This is simply a shortcut for
calling dig('128') for reinitialization purposes.

summ($numb)

A simple function to calculate a memoized summation of $numb down to 1.

fact($numb)

A simple function to calculate a memoized factorial of $numb.

choo($ennn, $emmm)

A simple function to calculate a memoized function of $ennn choose $emmm.

NOTES

The Perl builtin hex() function takes a hex string as a parameter &&
returns the decimal value (FromBase = 16, ToBase = 10) but this
notation seems counter-intuitive to me since a simple reading of the
code suggests that a hex() function will turn your parameter into
hexadecimal (ie. It sounds like Perl's hex() will hexify your parameter
but it does not.) so I've decided (maybe foolishly) to invert the
notation for my similar functions since it makes more sense to me this
way && will be easier to remember (I've had to lookup hex() in the
Camel book many times already which was part of the impetus for this
module...  as well as the gut reaction that sprintf() is not a proper
natural inverse function for hex()).

This means that my b64() function takes a decimal number as a 
parameter && returns the base64 equivalent (FromBase = 10, ToBase =
64) && my b10() function takes a base64 number (string) && returns
the decimal value (FromBase = 64, ToBase = 10).  My hex() function 
overloads Perl's builtin version with this opposite behavior so my 
dec() function behaves like Perl's normal hex() function.  I know 
it's confusing && maybe bad form of me to do this but I like it 
so much better this way that I'd rather go against the grain.

Please think of my dec() && hex() functions as meaning decify &&
hexify.  Also the pronunciation of dec() is 'dess' (!'deck' which
would be the inverse of 'ink' which -- && ++ already do so well).
After reading the informative Perl module etiquette guidelines, I now
appreciate the need to export as little as is necessary by default.  
So to be responsible, I have limited BaseCnv exporting to only 
cnv() under normal circumstances.  Please specify the other 
functions you'd like to import into your namespace or use the tags 
described above in the cnv() section like:

    'use Math::BaseCnv qw(:all !:hex);'

Error checking is minimal.

This module does not handle fractional number inputs because I like 
using the dot (.) character as a standard base64 digit since it 
makes for clean filenames.

summ(), fact(), && choo() are general Math function utilities which
are unrelated to number-base conversion but I didn't feel like making
another separate module just for them so they snuck in here.

I hope you find Math::BaseCnv useful.  Please feel free to e-mail 
me any suggestions or coding tips or notes of appreciation 
("app-ree-see-ay-shun").  Thank you.  TTFN.

CHANGES

Revision history for Perl extension Math::BaseCnv:

- 1.2.4CCJFl7  Sun Dec 12 19:15:47:07 2004

* made only bin/cnv executable to go into EXE_FILES

* made Math::BaseCalc a link in pod && updated License

- 1.2.45UC8fo  Sun May 30 12:08:41:50 2004

* tidied POD && upped minor version number since CPAN can't read PTVR

- 1.0.44E9ljP  Wed Apr 14 09:47:45:25 2004

* added test for div-by-zero error in choo()

* added summ()

- 1.0.446EIbS  Tue Apr  6 14:18:37:28 2004

* snuck in fact() && choo()

- 1.0.42REDir  Fri Feb 27 14:13:44:53 2004

* changed test.pl to hopefully pass MSWin32-x86-multi-thread

- 1.0.428LV46  Sun Feb  8 21:31:04:06 2004

* broke apart CHANGES to descend chronologically

* made dec() auto uppercase param since dec(a) was returning 36 instead of 10

- 1.0.41M4GMP  Thu Jan 22 04:16:22:25 2004

* put cnv in bin/ as EXE_FILES

- 1.0.418BEPc  Thu Jan  8 11:14:25:38 2004

* testing new e auto-gen MANIFEST(.SKIP)?

- 1.0.3CNH37s  Tue Dec 23 17:03:07:54 2003

* updated POD

- 1.0.3CG3dIx  Tue Dec 16 03:39:18:59 2003

* normalized base spelling

- 1.0.3CD1Vdd  Sat Dec 13 01:31:39:39 2003

* added ABSTRACT section to WriteMakeFile()

* changed synopsis example

* updated all POD indenting

- 1.0.3CCA5Mi  Fri Dec 12 10:05:22:44 2003

* removed indenting from POD NAME field

- 1.0.3CB7M43  Thu Dec 11 07:22:04:03 2003

* updated package to coincide with Time::Fields release

- 1.0.39B36Lv  Thu Sep 11 03:06:21:57 2003

* synchronized POD with README documentation using new e utility

* templatized package compilation

* fixed boundary bugs

- 1.0.37SLNGN  Mon Jul 28 21:23:16:23 2003

* first version (&& my first Perl module... yay!) put on CPAN

- 1.0.37JKj3w  Sat Jul 19 20:45:03:58 2003

* reworked interface from shell utility to package

- 1.0.3159mLT  Sun Jan  5 09:48:21:29 2003

* original version

INSTALL

Please run:

    `perl -MCPAN -e "install Math::BaseCnv"`

or uncompress the package && run the standard:

    `perl Makefile.PL; make; make test; make install`

LICENSE

Most source code should be Free!
  Code I have lawful authority over is && shall be!
Copyright: (c) 2003-2004, Pip Stuart.
Copyleft :  This software is licensed under the GNU General Public
  License (version 2), && as such comes with NO WARRANTY.  Please
  consult the Free Software Foundation (http://FSF.Org) for
  important information about your freedom.

AUTHOR

Pip Stuart <Pip@CPAN.Org>

