diff --git a/ase/awk/misc.c b/ase/awk/misc.c
index d4171cf3..bed33422 100644
--- a/ase/awk/misc.c
+++ b/ase/awk/misc.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: misc.c,v 1.24 2006-10-06 03:33:43 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: misc.c,v 1.25 2006-10-06 14:34:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ xp_real_t xp_awk_strtoreal (xp_awk_t* awk, const xp_char_t* str)
 	{
 		fraction = 0.0;
 		/*p = str;*/
+		p = pexp;
 		goto done;
 	} 
 	else 
@@ -283,7 +284,8 @@ xp_real_t xp_awk_strtoreal (xp_awk_t* awk, const xp_char_t* str)
 		if (!XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, *p)) 
 		{
 			/* p = pexp; */
-			goto done;
+			/* goto done; */
+			goto no_exp;
 		}
 		while (XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, *p)) 
 		{
@@ -292,6 +294,7 @@ xp_real_t xp_awk_strtoreal (xp_awk_t* awk, const xp_char_t* str)
 		}
 	}
 
+no_exp:
 	if (exp_negative) exp = frac_exp - exp;
 	else exp = frac_exp + exp;
 
@@ -385,7 +388,7 @@ xp_real_t xp_awk_strxtoreal (
 		c = *p;
 		if (!XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, c)) 
 		{
-			if ((c != XP_T('.')) || (dec_pt >= 0)) break;
+			if (c != XP_T('.') || dec_pt >= 0) break;
 			dec_pt = mant_size;
 		}
 		p++;
@@ -422,11 +425,13 @@ xp_real_t xp_awk_strxtoreal (
 	{
 		fraction = 0.0;
 		/*p = str;*/
+		p = pexp;
 		goto done;
 	} 
 	else 
 	{
 		int frac1, frac2;
+
 		frac1 = 0;
 		for ( ; mant_size > 9; mant_size--) 
 		{
@@ -439,47 +444,56 @@ xp_real_t xp_awk_strxtoreal (
 			}
 			frac1 = 10 * frac1 + (c - XP_T('0'));
 		}
+
 		frac2 = 0;
 		for (; mant_size > 0; mant_size--) {
-			c = *p;
-			p++;
+			c = *p++;
 			if (c == XP_T('.')) 
 			{
 				c = *p;
 				p++;
 			}
-			frac2 = 10*frac2 + (c - XP_T('0'));
+			frac2 = 10 * frac2 + (c - XP_T('0'));
 		}
 		fraction = (1.0e9 * frac1) + frac2;
 	}
 
 	/* Skim off the exponent */
 	p = pexp;
-	if ((*p == XP_T('E')) || (*p == XP_T('e'))) 
+	if (p < end && (*p == XP_T('E') || *p == XP_T('e'))) 
 	{
 		p++;
-		if (*p == XP_T('-')) 
+
+		if (p < end) 
 		{
-			exp_negative = 1;
-			p++;
-		} 
-		else 
-		{
-			if (*p == XP_T('+')) p++;
-			exp_negative = 0;
+			if (*p == XP_T('-')) 
+			{
+				exp_negative = 1;
+				p++;
+			} 
+			else 
+			{
+				if (*p == XP_T('+')) p++;
+				exp_negative = 0;
+			}
 		}
-		if (!XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, *p)) 
+		else exp_negative = 0;
+
+		if (!(p < end && XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, *p))) 
 		{
-			/* p = pexp; */
-			goto done;
+			/*p = pexp;*/
+			/*goto done;*/
+			goto no_exp;
 		}
-		while (XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, *p)) 
+
+		while (p < end && XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, *p)) 
 		{
 			exp = exp * 10 + (*p - XP_T('0'));
 			p++;
 		}
 	}
 
+no_exp:
 	if (exp_negative) exp = frac_exp - exp;
 	else exp = frac_exp + exp;
 
@@ -509,6 +523,7 @@ xp_real_t xp_awk_strxtoreal (
 	else fraction *= dbl_exp;
 
 done:
+	if (endptr != XP_NULL) *endptr = p;
 	return (negative)? -fraction: fraction;
 }
 
diff --git a/ase/awk/parse.c b/ase/awk/parse.c
index e2057eac..1b36688b 100644
--- a/ase/awk/parse.c
+++ b/ase/awk/parse.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: parse.c,v 1.186 2006-10-06 03:33:43 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: parse.c,v 1.187 2006-10-06 14:34:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -3283,7 +3283,7 @@ static int __get_token (xp_awk_t* awk)
 	{
 		SET_TOKEN_TYPE (awk, TOKEN_EOF);
 	}	
-	else if (XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, c)) 
+	else if (XP_AWK_ISDIGIT (awk, c) || c == XP_T('.'))
 	{
 		if (__get_number (awk) == -1) return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/ase/awk/run.c b/ase/awk/run.c
index f0fdc6de..17832244 100644
--- a/ase/awk/run.c
+++ b/ase/awk/run.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: run.c,v 1.225 2006-10-06 03:41:54 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: run.c,v 1.226 2006-10-06 14:34:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -2838,6 +2838,7 @@ static int __cmp_int_str (
 	xp_char_t* str;
 	xp_size_t len;
 	xp_long_t r;
+	xp_real_t rr;
 	int n;
 
 	r = xp_awk_strxtolong (run->awk, 
@@ -2850,11 +2851,10 @@ static int __cmp_int_str (
 		if (((xp_awk_val_int_t*)left)->val < r) return -1;
 		return 0;
 	}
+/* TODO: should i do this???  conversion to real and comparision... */
 	else if (*str == XP_T('.') || *str == XP_T('E') || *str == XP_T('e'))
 	{
-		/* TODO: */
-		/*
-		r = xp_awk_strxtoreal (run->awk,
+		rr = xp_awk_strxtoreal (run->awk,
 			((xp_awk_val_str_t*)right)->buf,
 			((xp_awk_val_str_t*)right)->len, &str);
 		if (str == ((xp_awk_val_str_t*)right)->buf + 
@@ -2864,7 +2864,6 @@ static int __cmp_int_str (
 			if (((xp_awk_val_int_t*)left)->val < rr) return -1;
 			return 0;
 		}
-		*/
 	}
 
 	str = xp_awk_valtostr (run, left, xp_true, XP_NULL, &len);
@@ -2926,8 +2925,20 @@ static int __cmp_real_str (
 {
 	xp_char_t* str;
 	xp_size_t len;
+	xp_real_t rr;
 	int n;
 
+	rr = xp_awk_strxtoreal (run->awk,
+		((xp_awk_val_str_t*)right)->buf,
+		((xp_awk_val_str_t*)right)->len, &str);
+	if (str == ((xp_awk_val_str_t*)right)->buf + 
+		   ((xp_awk_val_str_t*)right)->len)
+	{
+		if (((xp_awk_val_real_t*)left)->val > rr) return 1;
+		if (((xp_awk_val_real_t*)left)->val < rr) return -1;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	str = xp_awk_valtostr (run, left, xp_true, XP_NULL, &len);
 	if (str == XP_NULL)
 	{
diff --git a/ase/test/awk/comp.awk b/ase/test/awk/comp.awk
index 5972e274..c535b2f4 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/comp.awk
+++ b/ase/test/awk/comp.awk
@@ -73,6 +73,15 @@ BEGIN {
 	print "010 >  \"8\"", (010 >  "8");
 	print "010 <  \"8\"", (010 <  "8");
 
+	print "--------------------------";
+	print "10 == \"10.0\"", (10 == "10.0");
+	print "10 != \"10.0\"", (10 != "10.0");
+	print "10 >= \"10.0\"", (10 >= "10.0");
+	print "10 <= \"10.0\"", (10 <= "10.0");
+	print "10 >  \"10.0\"", (10 >  "10.0");
+	print "10 <  \"10.0\"", (10 <  "10.0");
+
+	#OFMT="abc";
 	print "--------------------------";
 	print "10.0 == \"10\"", (10.0 == "10");
 	print "10.0 != \"10\"", (10.0 != "10");
@@ -85,4 +94,11 @@ BEGIN {
 	#print a == 1;
 
 	print (0.234 + 1.01123);
+	print 12345678901234567890E20;
+	print .123;
+	print +.123;
+	print -.123;
+	print .123E-;
+	print +.123E-;
+	print -.123E-;
 }