4.3 Function Classes

There are four classes of functions in the MPRIA library:

1. Functions for intervals computation based on rational numbers: their names begin with mpri_ and their associated type is mpri_t. This class gathers the standard computing assignment methods and concomitants, computing subroutines for rational interval approximations of quadratic irrational numbers, the four basic binary arithmetic operations and the classic unary operators built around them, and computing subroutines for rational interval approximations of elementary analytic mathematical functions. (See Rational Interval Functions.)
2. Low-level functions for rational interval approximations of analytic mathematical functions: their names are both prepended by mpri_ and appended by _ASGMT, their associated type is mpri_t while their last parameter is an assignment mode of type mpri_asgmt_t. These low-level functions are not meant to be called directly but rather efficiently enwrapped within inline or macro functions. (See Low-Level Rational Interval Functions.)
3. Fast and convenient low-level functions that operate on signed integers and rational numbers: their names begin with mpria_mpq_ and mpria_mpz_, respectively; their associated type are mpz_t and mpq_t, respectively. Implemented with great efficiency and handiness in mind, these functions are mainly inline and macro functions that are intensively used by the functions in the precedent categories; you are highly encouraged to employ them directly within time-critical or intricate subroutines. They intently complete rather than substitute their already furnished alikes in the GNU MP library, the prefix mpria_ preventing from possible naming conflicts. (See Extra Number Functions.)
4. Miscellaneous functions. As memory management is inherited from the GNU MP library by design, this miscellanea essentially concerns functions for handling up different versions of the library. Two kinds of version handling function are distinguished: the functions that treat the version data of the library against which the application is effectively compiled, as such they act at compile time; the functions that deal with the version data of the library against which the application is dynamically linked, therefore they rather serve at run time. The formers are C preprocessor macros with names beginning with MPRIA_VERSION_, the latters are C plain functions with names beginning with mpria_libversion_. (See General Library Functions.)