Question on decimal separators?

srod · Post by **srod** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:13 pm

Hi,

the following code will get the string used for the decimal separator from the user's locale :

numChars = GetLocaleInfo_(#LOCALE_USER_DEFAULT,#LOCALE_SDECIMAL,0,0) 
decimal$ = Space(numChars+1)
GetLocaleInfo_(#LOCALE_USER_DEFAULT,#LOCALE_SDECIMAL,decimal$,numChars) 
Debug decimal$

Now according to MSDN, the LCTYPE #LOCALE_SDECIMAL can return up to 4 characters!!!

Does anyone know of a country/language/locale in which the decimal separator is more than 1 character? If there really are such locales then I need to rewrite certain routines in my code.

Thanks.

Kaeru Gaman · Post by **Kaeru Gaman** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:17 pm

german localization returns a comma.
we write 1.000.000,00

never heard of any notation using more than one char.

srod · Post by **srod** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:22 pm

Kaeru Gaman wrote:german localization returns a comma.
we write 1.000.000,00

never heard of any notation using more than one char.

I agree. My program will cope with any decimal-separator and thousand-separator providing they are both single characters. With MSDN saying that each of these could occupy 4 characters (including the terminating null) I am just a wee bit worried as certain routines would require a complete rewrite. Basically, I have to be able to take numeric data formatted from any locale and convert it to a form which my program can work with etc. Everything is fine, except for this multiple character issue!

Kaeru Gaman · Post by **Kaeru Gaman** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:23 pm

four chars including termination Null?

sounds like one-char string in unicode returned bytewise...

srod · Post by **srod** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:25 pm

Thought of that, but it specifically says characters and not bytes.

srod · Post by **srod** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:26 pm

I wonder if this is just for some custom format when the user has set a custom decimal separator etc? Limit it to 3 characters + null! I guess this could be it.

Not sure I want to support such crazyness though!

Trond · Post by **Trond** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:42 pm

I'm not sure if this can be done reliably. If the user sets the decimal separator to be same character as the digit grouping symbol then you're stuck.

srod · Post by **srod** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:20 pm

Trond wrote:I'm not sure if this can be done reliably. If the user sets the decimal separator to be same character as the digit grouping symbol then you're stuck.

And so would the user be!!!

If someone was daft enough to do that then my program would be the least of their worries, at least in terms of programs which would subsequently contribute to the overall chaos which would ensue!