Fw: How to use a word instead of a numeric value

Hello list, I need some help here since I can't work the copy/part correctly when using "words" instead of numbers. The problem I'm working on: ----------------------------- While working on a mimicked rebol version of the awk or C "printf" instruction somewhere I have to convert binary numbers in octal, decimal and hexadecimal. During this process I have to assemble binary digits into chunks of 3 or 4. This is what the following code does - here for chunks of 3 since the code part for the hexa is done separately for now. The code also pads to the left with 0 when needed, that is when Value length is not a multiple of 3. Example: Value: "12345678" -> first padded to "012345678" and sliced to 678 345 012 Eventually the numbers will be 0 and 1 but for testing it is easier to use decimal numbers to keep positions aligned. So the code below works well for a binary to octal assembly - at least for some samples. The difficulty I have is the following : the copy/part doesn't accept the fact that if replace the last parameter (number 3) by its equivalent valued word "grouping" which is defined as number 3 (defined as grouping: 3). I've tried to compose the complete line and do it after but this never worked for the entire script. However this worked well on smaller oneliner examples. I don't know why and can't explain this kind of anomaly (from my beginnners eyes at least). Can someone help ? Thanks in advance Gerard value: "12345678" val-length: length? value grouping: log-2 dest-base ; Since source-base is 2 (defined elsewhere) reste: val-length // grouping ; Length of padding based on this value if reste <> 0 [ insert/dup value "0" (grouping - reste) ; Left padding done here head value ] c: length? value while [c >= grouping] [ slice: copy "" slice: copy/part at value (c - grouping + 1) 3 ; <- This 3 is to be replaced with the word print ["slice: " slice] ; "grouping" but REBOL seems to reject it! ; remove/part at value c - 3 3 c: c - grouping ]

Convert grouping to integer. This should point out the problem:

>> copy/part "bonjour" 3.0

>> copy/part "bonjour" 3

Thanks Anton, It did the job and also answered a similar question I had about the "For" iterative construct when I used it with a calculated word constants, a bit as in: constant: 1 - 3 for c 10 1 constant [print c] When worked out in a similar way before, sometimes I had to change the for construct to a while construct to clear the non desired behaviour. The For simply refused to work as it should (at least to my eyes) and showed the kind of restrictions you pointed out below. Curiously however the example above worked flawlessly so mine was probably more complex but I can't remember it. Gerard