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From: archer@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu (david archer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi
Subject: num. cmp. in awk on sgi
Keywords: awk, sgi
Message-ID: <3304@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu>
Date: 3 Feb 91 19:16:48 GMT
Organization: Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory N.Y.
Lines: 19

I am unable to make numerical comparisons in the awk programming
language on our sgi 3.3 system.  That is, tests like

if (variable_a < 27.0)

do not function correctly, but

if (variable_a < "  27.0")

which does a string comparison, works correctly.  From my reading
of the book, it seems as though the former should work; this 
would be preferable because it would eliminate the distinction
between "  27.0", "00027", etc.  

Is this a bug or am I missing the point?

thank you,

David Archer (archer@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu)