ParseNumber

ParseNumber(x, badVal, decimal)

It converts text «x» to a numeric value, if it has a number format (including dates or time) that is valid in Analytica. If not, e.g. ParseNumber("hello"), it returns Null, or «badVal» if specified. If «x» is already a number, it just returns the value «x».

If «x» uses a comma for the decimal point, such as "3.14", specify the «decimal» parameter to be ','. («decimal» requires Analytica 5.0)

Library

Text Functions

Example

ParseNumber('3.14') → 3.14

ParseNumber( x, x ) { Keeps cells that don't parse as text }

ParseNumber('3,14', decimal:',') → 3.14

Notes

An array can be passed, in which each cell of the array is parsed.

ParseNumber is often useful when reading data from flat files, using ReadCsvFile or ReadTextFile. You don't need to use ParseNumber when using ParseCSV, since it parses it.

Coercion to numeric can be accomplished in Analytica in other ways. For example, you can declare a function parameter with the qualifiers "coerce numeric". Then a string value passed to that parameter is parsed. The calling variable needs to have a non-date number format, since the number format of the calling object determines how the value is interpreted.

History

ParseNumber is new to Analytica 4.2 as a built-in function, but an equivalent library function, ParseNum can be used in Analytica 4.1.
The «decimal» parameter was introduced in Analytica 5.0