SigFigs[] :=
  (* Created by Neil J. Gunther, Tue Jun 18 09:18:54 2002 *)
  (* Updated by Neil J. Gunther, Tue Jun 18 16:29:01 2002 *)
  Module[
    {numString, digString, intList, realList},
    numString = InputString[": "]; (* force string literal *)
    If[StringMatchQ[numString, "*.*"],
      (*** must be REAL - valued ***) 
      digString = StringReplace[numString, "." -> ""];  (* elide decimal point *)
      realList = ToExpression[Characters[digString]];
      (* Walk list from LEFTmost digit *)
      While[Length[realList] != 0,
        If[First[realList] == 0,
            realList = Rest[realList], (* delete from head *)      
            Return[{FullForm[numString], Length[realList]}]  (* first non-zero digit! *)
            ];
        ],
      (*** Else: must be an INTEGER ***)
      intList = ToExpression[Characters[numString]];
      (* Walk list from RIGHTmost digit *)
      While[(len = Length[intList]) != 0,
        If[Last[intList] == 0,
            intList = Take[intList, len - 1], (* delete from tail *)
            Return[{FullForm[numString], Length[intList]}]   (* first non-zero digit! *)
            ];
        ];
      ] (* end of If *)
    ] (* end of Module *)