Hi, Is there a way to fetch the numeric value of a register regardless of what output format is currently associated with the register?
The only method I've been able to figure out is: .ds reigning_format \g% .af % 0 .nr page_number \n[%] .af % \*[reigning_format] to save the format, switch it to numeric, fetch the value, and then switch the format back to its saved status. Then I can use \n[page_number] when I need the numeric version of the page number (in calculations, for instance). This works, but is not very elegant. The existence of a better mechanism is implied by the .af documentation: "Changing the output format of a read-only register causes an error. It is necessary to first copy the register's value to a writeable register, then apply the `af' request to this other register." Unfortunately, no hint is provided on how one might copy the register's value in a case where the register's output format cannot be changed. The intuitive solution -- using .nr -- fails when the output format is "i", generating the message: warning: numeric expression expected (got `i') (or "got `v'" or "got `x'", depending on the register's current value)
