## Overflow

Syntax:

        set overflow {float | NaN | undefined}
        unset overflow

This version of gnuplot supports 64-bit integer arithmetic. This means that for values from 2`^`53 to 2`^`63 (roughly 10`^`16 to 10`^`19) integer evaluation preserves more precision than evaluation using IEEE 754 floating point arithmetic. However unlike the IEEE floating point representation, which sacrifices precision to span a total range of roughly [-10`^`307 : 10`^`307], integer operations that result in values outside the range [-2`^`63 : 2`^`63] overflow. The set overflow command lets you control what happens in case of overflow. See options below.

set overflow is the same as set overflow float. It causes the result to be returned as a real number rather than as an integer. This is the default.

The command unset overflow causes integer arithmetic overflow to be ignored. No error is shown. This may be desirable if your platform allows only 32-bit integer arithmetic and you want to approximate the behaviour of gnuplot versions prior to 5.4.

The reset command does not affect the state of overflow handling.

Earlier gnuplot versions were limited to 32-bit arithmetic and ignored integer overflow. Note, however, that some built-in operators did not use integer arithmetic at all, even when given integer arguments. This included the exponentiation operator N**M and the summation operator (see summation (p. )). These operations now return an integer value when given integer arguments, making them potentially susceptible to overflow and thus affected by the state of set overflow.

Subsections

- Float
- NaN
- Undefined
- Affected operations