PRO convert_variables

; This procedure demonstrates how to convert variable types
; This procedure also shows problems with converting to "short" integer types


	; Set the variable x to a 16-bit signed integer with the value 25
	x = 25
	help, x
	; Set the variable y to a 32-bit signed integer with the value 33000
	y = 33000L
	help, y
	; Set the variable z to a 32-bit floating point with the value 4.0
	z = 4.
	help, z
	; Set the variable w to a 64-bit floating point with the value 2.338485968
	w = double(2.3384857)
	help, w
	
	; what happens if you try to convert y to a 16-bit "short" integer?
	
	y = fix(y)
	help, y
	
	; convert the variable z to a 64-bith floating point
	z = DOUBLE(z)
	help, z
	
	; Convert w to a integer, what happens
	
	w = fix(w)
	help, w
	
	; convert w to a string
	
	w = string(w)
	help, w
	
	; remove leading zeros from w using strtrim
	
	w = strtrim(w,1)
	help, w



END