KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q97265: SAMPLE: Floating-Point Samples for Windows

Article: Q97265
Product(s): Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbfile kbsample kb16bitonly kbOSWin310
Last Modified: 04-DEC-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.1 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

WinFloat consists of five programs and libraries that provide sample code and
tools to explore the floating-point mechanisms of Microsoft Windows.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download
Center:

  Winfloat.exe
  (http://download.microsoft.com/download/platformsdk/sample91/3.1/W31/EN-US/WINFLOAT.EXE)

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click
the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft used the most current virus detection software available on the date of
posting to scan this file for viruses. Once posted, the file is housed on secure
servers that prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

- FLOATAPP.EXE: Windows-based application used as a shell for testing
  application and dynamic-link library (DLL) floating-point issues. This
  application tests floating-point speed, generates exceptions, installs signal
  handler, masks and unmasks exceptions, and communicates with WIN87EM.DLL.
  Some capabilities depend on the math package chosen and/or the presence of a
  math coprocessor.

- FLOATDLL.DLL: Floating-point Windows DLL. FLOATDLL is a subset of FLOATAPP,
  to which it dynamically links. FLOATDLL can generate and handle
  floating-point exceptions, and can be configured to install and maintain its
  own signal handler or use the default (or application) handler.

- FLOATDOS.EXE: Floating-point MS-DOS(R) application. FLOATDOS is a subset of
  FLOATAPP that runs outside of Windows (or in a "DOS box"), thus allowing you
  to compare an MS-DOS application with a Windows-based application for
  exception handling and (most importantly) calculation speed.

- HIDE87.COM: MS-DOS terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program that hides the
  80x87 from Windows-based applications. HIDE87 must be installed before you
  start Windows so you can trick Windows into thinking there's no math
  coprocessor.

- SHOW87.EXE: MS-DOS control program that disables the HIDE87 TSR. SHOW87
  provides a way to turn off HIDE87 without rebooting the machine. As with
  HIDE87, SHOW87 must be executed before you start Windows so it can detect the
  math coprocessor.

See the sample code and the "Floating Point in Windows" technical article for
descriptions of these programs, their coding techniques, and the Windows
floating point architecture. For information on building these programs and
discussions of C version 6.0 versus C/C++ version 7.0 and emulator versus
alternate math packages, see the make file. Note that these sample have major
limitations if compiled with C 6.0.

WINFLOAT was built and tested under Microsoft Windows version 3.1 using Microsoft
Macro Assembler version 6.0 and Microsoft C/C++ version 7.0.

Additional query words: Win16SDK310 softlib kbSample

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbfile kbsample kb16bitonly kbOSWin310 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbSDKSearch kbWinSDKSearch kbWinSDK310
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.