[comp.sys.sun] f77 floating point exceptions opn SS1 4.0.3

preston@ra.src.umd.edu (James Preston) (08/14/90)

We are using f77 on Sparcstations (OS4.0.3) and are quite often getting
the message:

	Floating point errors ocurred...
	Inexact; Underflow;

It seems that these are spurious messages, but then we are in a "Boy who
cried wolf" situation which is not very reassuring.  Is anyone else having
this problem?

marty@puppsr.princeton.edu (09/19/90)

In article <1990Aug16.000008.7986@rice.edu>, preston@ra.src.umd.edu
(James Preston) writes:
|> We are using f77 on Sparcstations (OS4.0.3) and are quite often
getting
|> the message:
|> 	Floating point errors ocurred...
|> 	Inexact; Underflow;

You have to look over your code carefully to find out whether you have a
real problem.  The compiler usually does the right thing (like exp(large
neg.  number) becomes zero but will raise flags).  If the code is
thoroughly debugged :-) it can be ignored.  Try inserting the line

	idummy = ieee_handler('set','invalid',SIGFPE_ABORT)

near the top of the program to make it crash where the error is occurring,
and use dbx to examine the pieces...  Good luck.

Marty Ryba
Princeton University
marty@pulsar.princeton.edu