Hi! Richard,   
      
   In a message to All you wrote:   
      
    RW> But, Timo's function evaluator was giving me weird numbers,   
    RW> almost like it couldn't add or subtract anymore.   
      
    RW> So, we played with it in test mode for awhile, then discovered that    
    RW> if we express the equation fully algebraic as in   
      
    RW> fn /b %COUNTER%+-%ID% >> checknum.txt   
      
    RW> we suddenly get the right answer.   
      
   I had nearly the same problem about two years ago, when I was doing some   
   simple text file manipulation with newsgroup posts (really, really simple   
   stuff BTW).  You may recall that I like to use Greg Miskelly's PSIS.COM in a   
   lot of my batches for simple maths functions(?).  Well, back then I found it   
   was either not working at all or was giving strange results (can't recall).  I   
   ended up having to resort to using Horst's COUNT.COM instead.  Not that I mind   
   doing that, of course.  In fact, the only external utils I used in the batch   
   besides FIND were all Horst's: COUNT, LMOD & NSET.  [big grin]   
      
    RW>    
      
   Yep, and much teeth grinding, nail biting & hair pulling no doubt.  Been   
   there; done that.   
      
    RW> Fun with my morning coffee.   
      
   Thank you.  I was just enjoying mine too.   
      
   Cheers,   
   Paul.   
      
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