Use of floats for FLTK toolkit

[Rik]

4/2/11

While trying to debug (https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/index.php?32682) I
came across some undesirable behavior in the FLTK toolkit.  When plotting
functions with a high dynamic range (greater than the capacity of a
'single' or float) the axes are screwed up and no data is plotted.

To test I used the following code:
[x,y,z] = sombrero;
surf(x,y,m*z);

where the multiplier m was 1e37, 1e38, 1e39, 1e41.  The plots are attached
and show the sombrero evaporating away (realmax('single') is 3.4e38).  The
same behavior occurs for gnuplot, but around realmax('double') which is
approximately 1e308.

Does someone who is familiar with the graphics code know how easy it would
be to use doubles in place of floats for FLTK axes calculations?

At the very least, it might be a good idea to put in a warning in the
documentation about the limited dynamic range.

--Rik

1e37.png
Description: PNG image

1e38.png
Description: PNG image

1e39.png
Description: PNG image

1e41.png
Description: PNG image