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author | Stefan Krah <skrah@bytereef.org> | 2012-03-21 17:25:23 (GMT) |
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committer | Stefan Krah <skrah@bytereef.org> | 2012-03-21 17:25:23 (GMT) |
commit | 1919b7e72bc43315b32f38a6f5f01e8c717907f4 (patch) | |
tree | ef7490b66425fd2c622740ef9adfb03d806b7517 /Doc/library/decimal.rst | |
parent | 8bfccd852e2bceb04664b4832fc80eb3b7584918 (diff) | |
download | cpython-1919b7e72bc43315b32f38a6f5f01e8c717907f4.zip cpython-1919b7e72bc43315b32f38a6f5f01e8c717907f4.tar.gz cpython-1919b7e72bc43315b32f38a6f5f01e8c717907f4.tar.bz2 |
Issue #7652: Integrate the decimal floating point libmpdec library to speed
up the decimal module. Performance gains of the new C implementation are
between 12x and 80x, depending on the application.
Diffstat (limited to 'Doc/library/decimal.rst')
-rw-r--r-- | Doc/library/decimal.rst | 176 |
1 files changed, 147 insertions, 29 deletions
diff --git a/Doc/library/decimal.rst b/Doc/library/decimal.rst index ef8b43f..4c5f3cd 100644 --- a/Doc/library/decimal.rst +++ b/Doc/library/decimal.rst @@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ .. moduleauthor:: Raymond Hettinger <python at rcn.com> .. moduleauthor:: Aahz <aahz at pobox.com> .. moduleauthor:: Tim Peters <tim.one at comcast.net> +.. moduleauthor:: Stefan Krah <skrah at bytereef.org> .. sectionauthor:: Raymond D. Hettinger <python at rcn.com> .. import modules for testing inline doctests with the Sphinx doctest builder @@ -20,8 +21,9 @@ # make sure each group gets a fresh context setcontext(Context()) -The :mod:`decimal` module provides support for decimal floating point -arithmetic. It offers several advantages over the :class:`float` datatype: +The :mod:`decimal` module provides support for fast correctly-rounded +decimal floating point arithmetic. It offers several advantages over the +:class:`float` datatype: * Decimal "is based on a floating-point model which was designed with people in mind, and necessarily has a paramount guiding principle -- computers must @@ -92,7 +94,7 @@ computation. Depending on the needs of the application, signals may be ignored, considered as informational, or treated as exceptions. The signals in the decimal module are: :const:`Clamped`, :const:`InvalidOperation`, :const:`DivisionByZero`, :const:`Inexact`, :const:`Rounded`, :const:`Subnormal`, -:const:`Overflow`, and :const:`Underflow`. +:const:`Overflow`, :const:`Underflow` and :const:`FloatOperation`. For each signal there is a flag and a trap enabler. When a signal is encountered, its flag is set to one, then, if the trap enabler is @@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ precision, rounding, or enabled traps:: >>> from decimal import * >>> getcontext() - Context(prec=28, rounding=ROUND_HALF_EVEN, Emin=-999999999, Emax=999999999, + Context(prec=28, rounding=ROUND_HALF_EVEN, Emin=-999999, Emax=999999, capitals=1, clamp=0, flags=[], traps=[Overflow, DivisionByZero, InvalidOperation]) @@ -132,7 +134,7 @@ Decimal instances can be constructed from integers, strings, floats, or tuples. Construction from an integer or a float performs an exact conversion of the value of that integer or float. Decimal numbers include special values such as :const:`NaN` which stands for "Not a number", positive and negative -:const:`Infinity`, and :const:`-0`. +:const:`Infinity`, and :const:`-0`:: >>> getcontext().prec = 28 >>> Decimal(10) @@ -152,6 +154,25 @@ value of that integer or float. Decimal numbers include special values such as >>> Decimal('-Infinity') Decimal('-Infinity') +If the :exc:`FloatOperation` signal is trapped, accidental mixing of +decimals and floats in constructors or ordering comparisons raises +an exception:: + + >>> c = getcontext() + >>> c.traps[FloatOperation] = True + >>> Decimal(3.14) + Traceback (most recent call last): + File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> + decimal.FloatOperation: [<class 'decimal.FloatOperation'>] + >>> Decimal('3.5') < 3.7 + Traceback (most recent call last): + File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> + decimal.FloatOperation: [<class 'decimal.FloatOperation'>] + >>> Decimal('3.5') == 3.5 + True + +.. versionadded:: 3.3 + The significance of a new Decimal is determined solely by the number of digits input. Context precision and rounding only come into play during arithmetic operations. @@ -169,6 +190,16 @@ operations. >>> Decimal('3.1415926535') + Decimal('2.7182818285') Decimal('5.85988') +If the internal limits of the C version are exceeded, constructing +a decimal raises :class:`InvalidOperation`:: + + >>> Decimal("1e9999999999999999999") + Traceback (most recent call last): + File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> + decimal.InvalidOperation: [<class 'decimal.InvalidOperation'>] + +.. versionchanged:: 3.3 + Decimals interact well with much of the rest of Python. Here is a small decimal floating point flying circus: @@ -244,7 +275,7 @@ enabled: Decimal('0.142857142857142857142857142857142857142857142857142857142857') >>> ExtendedContext - Context(prec=9, rounding=ROUND_HALF_EVEN, Emin=-999999999, Emax=999999999, + Context(prec=9, rounding=ROUND_HALF_EVEN, Emin=-999999, Emax=999999, capitals=1, clamp=0, flags=[], traps=[]) >>> setcontext(ExtendedContext) >>> Decimal(1) / Decimal(7) @@ -269,7 +300,7 @@ using the :meth:`clear_flags` method. :: >>> Decimal(355) / Decimal(113) Decimal('3.14159292') >>> getcontext() - Context(prec=9, rounding=ROUND_HALF_EVEN, Emin=-999999999, Emax=999999999, + Context(prec=9, rounding=ROUND_HALF_EVEN, Emin=-999999, Emax=999999, capitals=1, clamp=0, flags=[Inexact, Rounded], traps=[]) The *flags* entry shows that the rational approximation to :const:`Pi` was @@ -358,6 +389,10 @@ Decimal objects The argument to the constructor is now permitted to be a :class:`float` instance. + .. versionchanged:: 3.3 + :class:`float` arguments raise an exception if the :exc:`FloatOperation` + trap is set. By default the trap is off. + Decimal floating point objects share many properties with the other built-in numeric types such as :class:`float` and :class:`int`. All of the usual math operations and special methods apply. Likewise, decimal objects can be @@ -880,39 +915,33 @@ described below. In addition, the module provides three pre-made contexts: In single threaded environments, it is preferable to not use this context at all. Instead, simply create contexts explicitly as described below. - The default values are precision=28, rounding=ROUND_HALF_EVEN, and enabled traps - for Overflow, InvalidOperation, and DivisionByZero. + The default values are :attr:`prec`\ =\ :const:`28`, + :attr:`rounding`\ =\ :const:`ROUND_HALF_EVEN`, + and enabled traps for :class:`Overflow`, :class:`InvalidOperation`, and + :class:`DivisionByZero`. In addition to the three supplied contexts, new contexts can be created with the :class:`Context` constructor. -.. class:: Context(prec=None, rounding=None, traps=None, flags=None, Emin=None, Emax=None, capitals=None, clamp=None) +.. class:: Context(prec=None, rounding=None, Emin=None, Emax=None, capitals=None, clamp=None, flags=None, traps=None) Creates a new context. If a field is not specified or is :const:`None`, the default values are copied from the :const:`DefaultContext`. If the *flags* field is not specified or is :const:`None`, all flags are cleared. - The *prec* field is a positive integer that sets the precision for arithmetic - operations in the context. - - The *rounding* option is one of: + *prec* is an integer in the range [:const:`1`, :const:`MAX_PREC`] that sets + the precision for arithmetic operations in the context. - * :const:`ROUND_CEILING` (towards :const:`Infinity`), - * :const:`ROUND_DOWN` (towards zero), - * :const:`ROUND_FLOOR` (towards :const:`-Infinity`), - * :const:`ROUND_HALF_DOWN` (to nearest with ties going towards zero), - * :const:`ROUND_HALF_EVEN` (to nearest with ties going to nearest even integer), - * :const:`ROUND_HALF_UP` (to nearest with ties going away from zero), or - * :const:`ROUND_UP` (away from zero). - * :const:`ROUND_05UP` (away from zero if last digit after rounding towards zero - would have been 0 or 5; otherwise towards zero) + The *rounding* option is one of the constants listed in the section + `Rounding Modes`_. The *traps* and *flags* fields list any signals to be set. Generally, new contexts should only set traps and leave the flags clear. The *Emin* and *Emax* fields are integers specifying the outer limits allowable - for exponents. + for exponents. *Emin* must be in the range [:const:`MIN_EMIN`, :const:`0`], + *Emax* in the range [:const:`0`, :const:`MAX_EMAX`]. The *capitals* field is either :const:`0` or :const:`1` (the default). If set to :const:`1`, exponents are printed with a capital :const:`E`; otherwise, a @@ -951,6 +980,12 @@ In addition to the three supplied contexts, new contexts can be created with the Resets all of the flags to :const:`0`. + .. method:: clear_traps() + + Resets all of the traps to :const:`0`. + + .. versionadded:: 3.3 + .. method:: copy() Return a duplicate of the context. @@ -1250,8 +1285,13 @@ In addition to the three supplied contexts, new contexts can be created with the With two arguments, compute ``x**y``. If ``x`` is negative then ``y`` must be integral. The result will be inexact unless ``y`` is integral and the result is finite and can be expressed exactly in 'precision' digits. - The result should always be correctly rounded, using the rounding mode of - the current thread's context. + The rounding mode of the context is used. Results are always correctly-rounded + in the Python version. + + .. versionchanged:: 3.3 + The C module computes :meth:`power` in terms of the correctly-rounded + :meth:`exp` and :meth:`ln` functions. The result is well-defined but + only "almost always correctly-rounded". With three arguments, compute ``(x**y) % modulo``. For the three argument form, the following restrictions on the arguments hold: @@ -1339,6 +1379,66 @@ In addition to the three supplied contexts, new contexts can be created with the .. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +.. _decimal-rounding-modes: + +Constants +--------- + +The constants in this section are only relevant for the C module. They +are also included in the pure Python version for compatibility. + ++--------------------+---------------------+------------------------------+ +| | 32-bit | 64-bit | ++====================+=====================+==============================+ +| .. data:: MAX_PREC | :const:`425000000` | :const:`999999999999999999` | ++--------------------+---------------------+------------------------------+ +| .. data:: MAX_EMAX | :const:`425000000` | :const:`999999999999999999` | ++--------------------+---------------------+------------------------------+ +| .. data:: MIN_EMIN | :const:`-425000000` | :const:`-999999999999999999` | ++--------------------+---------------------+------------------------------+ + +.. data:: HAVE_THREADS + + The default value is True. If Python is compiled without threads, the + C version automatically disables the expensive thread local context + machinery. In this case, the value is False. + +Rounding modes +-------------- + +.. data:: ROUND_CEILING + + Round towards :const:`Infinity`. + +.. data:: ROUND_DOWN + + Round towards zero. + +.. data:: ROUND_FLOOR + + Round towards :const:`-Infinity`. + +.. data:: ROUND_HALF_DOWN + + Round to nearest with ties going towards zero. + +.. data:: ROUND_HALF_EVEN + + Round to nearest with ties going to nearest even integer. + +.. data:: ROUND_HALF_UP + + Round to nearest with ties going away from zero. + +.. data:: ROUND_UP + + Round away from zero. + +.. data:: ROUND_05UP + + Round away from zero if last digit after rounding towards zero would have + been 0 or 5; otherwise round towards zero. + .. _decimal-signals: @@ -1403,7 +1503,6 @@ condition. Infinity / Infinity x % 0 Infinity % x - x._rescale( non-integer ) sqrt(-x) and x > 0 0 ** 0 x ** (non-integer) @@ -1446,6 +1545,23 @@ condition. Occurs when a subnormal result is pushed to zero by rounding. :class:`Inexact` and :class:`Subnormal` are also signaled. + +.. class:: FloatOperation + + Enable stricter semantics for mixing floats and Decimals. + + If the signal is not trapped (default), mixing floats and Decimals is + permitted in the :class:`~decimal.Decimal` constructor, + :meth:`~decimal.Context.create_decimal` and all comparison operators. + Both conversion and comparisons are exact. Any occurrence of a mixed + operation is silently recorded by setting :exc:`FloatOperation` in the + context flags. Explicit conversions with :meth:`~decimal.Decimal.from_float` + or :meth:`~decimal.Context.create_decimal_from_float` do not set the flag. + + Otherwise (the signal is trapped), only equality comparisons and explicit + conversions are silent. All other mixed operations raise :exc:`FloatOperation`. + + The following table summarizes the hierarchy of signals:: exceptions.ArithmeticError(exceptions.Exception) @@ -1458,10 +1574,12 @@ The following table summarizes the hierarchy of signals:: InvalidOperation Rounded Subnormal + FloatOperation .. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% + .. _decimal-notes: Floating Point Notes @@ -1571,7 +1689,7 @@ normalized floating point representations, it is not immediately obvious that the following calculation returns a value equal to zero: >>> 1 / Decimal('Infinity') - Decimal('0E-1000000026') + Decimal('0E-1000026') .. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% @@ -1583,7 +1701,7 @@ Working with threads The :func:`getcontext` function accesses a different :class:`Context` object for each thread. Having separate thread contexts means that threads may make -changes (such as ``getcontext.prec=10``) without interfering with other threads. +changes (such as ``getcontext().prec=10``) without interfering with other threads. Likewise, the :func:`setcontext` function automatically assigns its target to the current thread. |