Ticks as a floating point value on XP (not 2000)

[lancaster]

I have a desktop application that saves a ticks value into a column in a table control (and also into a column value in a SQL Lite database).

I then use this value when filtering records.

On Windows 2000, the TicksColumn value is reported as an 18 digit string (as expected) however on XP the value is reported as a floating point value (e.g. 6.33432093 E+17). A simple MsgBox is used to determine this.

Now when I compose a SQLlite Select statement with

"... WHERE TicksColumm > '" & Calendar1.value & "'" the select doesn't return the expected records on XP but works as expected on Win 2000.

Any ideas where the difference is introduced?

Do I need set the TickColumn value with Format(Now,"D18") to ensure it is always held as a string?

Are there other known gotchas with desktop apps on different platforms?

T.I.A.
Dave Lancaster

 

[Erel]

Try to remove the apostrophes from your query. They are only needed with strings.
I don't know how to explain the difference between the two computers.
Here on XP it shows the ticks as an 18 digits number.

 

[lancaster]

Erel,
Thanks for reply. Have tried without apostrophies with no change.

However I can now exlude any platform differences.

I have proven with the enclosed test program that

DateFormat("dd/mm/yyyy")
MsgBox DateParse("13/04/2008")

returns 633436416000 on Windows 2000 and XP when run interpretively under B4PPC.

however it returns 6.33436416E+17 on Windows 2000 & XP when run as a compiled executable.

The net result is that my application works 100% under B4PPC but not once it is compiled.

Any further suggestions gratefully received.

Dave Lancaster

 

[BjornF]

Seems to have something to do with the type of compilation

Using XP and a non-optimized compiled version I get 633436416000,
but when using an optimized compilation I end up with 6.33436416E+17

all the best / Björn

 

[lancaster]

Erel, Bjorn,

The brain is now in gear ... and it is to do with the way that the result from DateParse() is cast by the machine.

I now get the exponential form of response if I use int(dateparse("13/04/2008")) both as an executable and under B4PPC.

Therefore I can now force my application to always use exponential tick values (floating point integers - what's that all about then?).

So, the fix to the problem is

1) Use int() to force the result to be cast as E+nn format
2) Use Erel's original suggestion of dropping apostrophes from SQLlite SELECT statement to make sure value is always treated as numeric. (I suspect it was performing a string comparison before).

One for the knowledgebase I think.

Thanks.

Dave Lancaster