--- gforth/kernel/nio.fs	1999/02/21 14:55:44	1.6
+++ gforth/kernel/nio.fs	1999/02/22 21:39:43	1.7
@@ -32,32 +32,28 @@
 
 : <# ( -- ) \ core	less-number-sign
     \G Initialise/clear the pictured numeric output string.
-    holdbuf-end holdptr ! ;
+    holdbuf-end dup holdptr ! holdend ! ;
 
 : #>      ( xd -- addr u ) \ core	number-sign-greater
     \G Complete the pictured numeric output string by
     \G discarding xd and returning addr u; the address and length
     \G of the formatted string. A Standard program may modify characters
     \G within the string.
-    2drop holdptr @ holdbuf-end over - ;
+    2drop holdptr @ holdend @ over - ;
 
-: <<# ( -- addr ) \ gforth	less-less-number-sign
+: <<# ( -- ) \ gforth	less-less-number-sign
     \G starts a hold area that ends with @code{#>>}. Can be nested in
     \G each other and in @code{<#}.  Note: if you do not match up the
     \G @code{<<#}s with @code{#>>}s, you will eventually run out of
     \G hold area; you can reset the hold area to empty with @code{<#}.
-    holdptr @ ;
+    holdend @ holdptr @ - hold
+    holdptr @ holdend ! ;
 
-: #>> ( xd addr1 -- addr u ) \ gforth	number-sign-greater-greater
-    \G Completes a numeric output string started with
-    \G @code{<<#}. @var{xd} is discarded, @var{addr1} is the value
-    \G produced by @code{<<#}, @var{addr u} represents the output
-    \G string.
-    \ this stack effect has been chosen to make it conventient to
-    \ replace @code{<# ... #>} with @code{<<# >r ... r> #>>}
-    >r 2drop
-    holdptr @ r@ over -
-    r> holdptr ! ;
+: #>> ( -- ) \ gforth	number-sign-greater-greater
+    \G releases the hold area started with @code{<<#}.
+    holdend @ count
+    over holdptr !
+    chars + holdend ! ;
 
 : sign    ( n -- ) \ core
     \G Used within @code{<#} and @code{#>}. If n (a @var{single} number)
@@ -95,13 +91,13 @@
     \G Display d right-aligned in a field n characters wide. If more than
     \G n characters are needed to display the number, all digits are displayed.
     \G If appropriate, n must include a character for a leading "-".
-    >r tuck  dabs  <<# >r #s  rot sign r> #>>
-    r> over - spaces  type ;
+    >r tuck  dabs  <<# #s  rot sign #>
+    r> over - spaces  type #>> ;
 
 : ud.r ( ud n -- ) \ gforth	u-d-dot-r
     \G Display ud right-aligned in a field n characters wide. If more than
     \G n characters are needed to display the number, all digits are displayed.
-    >r <<# >r #s r> #>> r> over - spaces type ;
+    >r <<# #s #> r> over - spaces type #>> ;
 
 : .r ( n1 n2 -- ) \ core-ext	dot-r
     \G Display n1 right-aligned in a field n2 characters wide. If more than