You guys have given the "correct" answer: I'm also convinced that Math::Int128 is the right way to go.

Math::Int128 *should* work on my install, but it does not. 

perl -v

This is perl 5, version 16, subversion 3 (v5.16.3) built for MSWin32-x
+64-multi-thread

cpan Math::Int128


<snip>

t/00-report-prereqs.t ..... ok
t/author-eol.t ............ skipped: these tests are for testing by th
+e author
t/author-no-tabs.t ........ skipped: these tests are for testing by th
+e author
t/author-pod-spell.t ...... skipped: these tests are for testing by th
+e author
t/bugs.t .................. ok
t/Math-Int128.t ........... 1/?
#   Failed test 'max int128 >> 95'
#   at t/Math-Int128.t line 174.
#          got: '4294967295'
#     expected: '1'
# $max >> $j = 4294967295, $max / 2 ** $j = 1, $max = 1701411834604692
+3173168730
3715884105727, $j = 95, 2 ** $j = 39614081257132169000000000000.000000
+, int128(2
 ** $j) = 39614081257132168796771975168

#   Failed test 'max int128 >>= 95'
#   at t/Math-Int128.t line 183.
#          got: '4294967295'
#     expected: '1'
t/Math-Int128.t ........... Dubious, test returned 148 (wstat 37888, 0
+x9400)
Failed 2/785 subtests
t/Math-UInt128.t .......... 1/?
#   Failed test 'max uint128 >> 95'
#   at t/Math-UInt128.t line 172.
#          got: '8589934591'
#     expected: '1'

#   Failed test 'max uint128 >>= 95'
#   at t/Math-UInt128.t line 176.
#          got: '8589934591'
#     expected: '1'
<snip>

[download]
Obviously there are math overflows being triggered in the tests. I'll try another (later) version but there's some very old code on this box. Plus I need mod_perl2 and Apache2 which increases the dependencies. Not asking for sympathy. It's just how it is.

BTW pack ('Q', blah) and unpack ('Q',blah) which require 64 bit PERL, DOES work.

In reply to Re^4: History repeats: 128 bit Math:Bigint numbers in a 64 bit DBI world by RayHunter
in thread History repeats: 128 bit Math:Bigint numbers in a 64 bit DBI world by RayHunter

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