Operator ** (Exponent)

Multiple operators can be used. The order of operation is the same as in mathematics:

• content of parentheses is evaluated first
• then exponents are evaluated, from right to left
• then multiplication and division are evaluated, from left to right
• the remaining operators are then applied from left to right

Compared to Excel

Excel uses ^ for exponentiation. DocuMold doesn’t because Excel’s ^ has unexpected behaviours. Using ** instead helps to highlight differences compared to Excel.

Here are Excel’s unexpected behaviours:

• -1 ^ 2 gives 1. Mathematics and most programming languages say it should be -1. The lone minus is a shortcut for -1 * and exponentiation must be done before multiplication.
• 2 ^ 2 ^ 0 gives 1. Mathematics and most programming languages say it should be 2. Exponents are supposed to be evaluated from the right (so 2 ^ (2 ^ 0) -> 2 ^ 1 => 2), but Excel does it from the left (so (2 ^ 2) ^ 0 -> 4 ^ 0 => 1).

DocuMold’s ** doesn’t have to unexpected behaviours.

A text containing digits is not handled as a number. To have an actual number:

• use the @NUMBER_QUESTION to set the variable
• write a numeric value directly in the code without quotes, ex: age >= 18
• use a function which converts to a number: NUMBER(text_containing_numbers)
• use a function which returns a number: FIND("world", "hello everybody")