Strange behaviour using Abs()

[supersonic]

Hi -

If running this code snippet Abs() "converts" Int32 into Double:

Local $iSC_Countdown = -100

MsgBox(0, $iSC_Countdown, VarGetType($iSC_Countdown))

$iSC_Countdown = Abs($iSC_Countdown)

MsgBox(0, $iSC_Countdown, VarGetType($iSC_Countdown))

Why? Is it a bug?

Greets,
-supersonic.

EDIT:

Testet with 3.3.12 and 3.3.15.

EDIT (#2):

Abs() doesn't preserve the variable type if input is integer. If it is behaviour by design maybe it is worth to be mentioned in help file?

Edited July 21, 2016 by supersonic

[mikell]

Local $iSC_Countdown = -100
$iSC_Countdown = Abs($iSC_Countdown)
MsgBox(0, $iSC_Countdown, IsInt($iSC_Countdown))

 

[spudw2k]

Interesting observation and behavior.  I'm curious what (if any) scenarios you have run into that this would cause issues (me thinks lower-level RAM allocation perhaps)? 

edit: Same behavior observed when using Abs on a positive Int

Local $iSC_Countdown = 100
MsgBox(0, $iSC_Countdown, VarGetType($iSC_Countdown))

$iSC_Countdown = Abs($iSC_Countdown)
MsgBox(0, $iSC_Countdown, VarGetType($iSC_Countdown))


;simple workaround
Func _Abs($iValue)
    If $iValue < 0 Then $iValue *= -1
    Return $iValue
EndFunc

$iSC_Countdown = -200
MsgBox(0, $iSC_Countdown, VarGetType($iSC_Countdown))

$iSC_Countdown = _Abs($iSC_Countdown)
MsgBox(0, $iSC_Countdown, VarGetType($iSC_Countdown))

 

Edited July 21, 2016 by spudw2k

[supersonic]

I observed this behaviour incidently. It would be very helpful to know if this is an unmeant inconsistency. I could live with it but then it should be documented in help file. Perhaps a dev could enlight us?

A workaround can be helpful - but only in special cases. Variable types should be preserved (where logical).