Decimal Field Data Type Properties

[boborta]

I have read the HELP documentation regarding the capatilities of the
decimal field, but I am not sure I understand what it was telling me:
"Stores numbers from -10^28-1 through 10^28-1 (.mdb)". This appears
to say minus 10 raised to the 28th power minus 1 through 10 to the
28th power -1.

What is MS really saying in the HELP under field size?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Allen Browne]

The Decimal data type can contain up to 28 digits (the Precision property)

You can also specify a Scale, indicating where the decimal point goes.

If the scale is zero (i.e. no digits to the right of the decimal point), you
have an integer with up to 28 digits. The maximum value is therefore one
less than 10^28.

JET has some challenges in understanding this data type:
http://allenbrowne.com/bug-12.html

 

[boborta]

Allen,

Does this mean that there are 10^28 digits available and the decimal
point can be anywhere between (or absent) these digits?


Thanks for the reply.
Bob

 

[Allen Browne]

No. It means there are up to 28 digits in the field. You define how many by
setting the field's Precision property.

The decimal point is set a a particular place in the field, and is the same
for all records. You define where by setting the field's Scale property.