B.1.4 Conversions

Functions for converting between strings and numeric values.

toString( fpVal )

Turns a numeric value into a string.

• Parameters:
  • fpVal (floating point): floating point numeric value
• Return value
  • (String): a string representation of fpVal

toString( intVal )

Turns an integer numeric value into a string.

• Parameters:
  • intVal (long integer): integer numeric value
• Return value
  • (String): a string representation of intVal

toString( charVal )

Turns a single character value into a string.

• Parameters:
  • charVal (char): character numeric value
• Return value
  • (String): a string representation of charVal

toString( byteVal )

Turns a byte value into a string.

• Parameters:
  • byteVal (byte): byte numeric value
• Return value
  • (String): a string representation of byteVal

toString( booleanVal )

Turns a boolean value into a string.

• Parameters:
  • booleanVal (boolean): boolean value (true or false)
• Return value
  • (String): a string representation of booleanVal ("true" or "false")

toString( objVal )

Turns any object value into a string. As applied to existing string values this isn't really useful, but it means that you can apply toString to any object value without knowing its type and get a useful return from it.

• Parameters:
  • objVal (Object): non-primitive value
• Return value
  • (String): a string representation of objVal

parseByte( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as a byte (8-bit signed integer) value. If the input string can't be interpreted in this way, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing numeric representation
• Return value
  • (byte): byte value of str

parseShort( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as a short (16-bit signed integer) value. If the input string can't be interpreted in this way, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing numeric representation
• Return value
  • (short integer): byte value of str

parseInt( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as an int (32-bit signed integer) value. If the input string can't be interpreted in this way, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing numeric representation
• Return value
  • (integer): byte value of str

parseLong( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as a long (64-bit signed integer) value. If the input string can't be interpreted in this way, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing numeric representation
• Return value
  • (long integer): byte value of str

parseFloat( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as a float (32-bit floating point) value. If the input string can't be interpreted in this way, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing numeric representation
• Return value
  • (floating point): byte value of str

parseDouble( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as a double (64-bit signed integer) value. If the input string can't be interpreted in this way, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing numeric representation
• Return value
  • (floating point): byte value of str

parseBigInteger( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as a "BigInteger" value. This can be used for working with string representations of integers that can't be stored as an unsigned 64-bit value.

The result is a BigInteger object, which can't be used in normal numeric expressions, but has a number of methods defined on it for comparison, arithmetic, bit manipulation etc. See the java.math.BigInteger javadocs for details.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing numeric representation
• Return value
  • (BigInteger): BigInteger value of str
• Examples:
  • parseBigInteger("-20000000000000000023").doubleValue() = -2e19
  • parseBigInteger("18446744073709551616").testBit(64) = true

parseBigDecimal( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as a "BigDecimal" value. This can be used for working with string representations of non-integer values that require more precision or range than is possible in a 64-bit IEEE-754 double precision variable.

The result is a BigDecimal object, which can't be used in normal numeric expressions, but has a number of methods defined on it for comparison, arithmetic, bit manipulation etc. See the java.math.BigDecimal javadocs for details.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string contining numeric representation
• Return value
  • (BigDecimal): BigDecimal value of str
• Example:
  • parseBigDecimal("101").compareTo(parseBigDecimal("102")) = -1

parseInts( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as an array of integer values. An ad-hoc algorithm is used that tries to extract a list of integers from a string; a comma- or space-separated list of integer values will work, and other formats may or may not.

The details of this function's behaviour may change in future releases.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing a list of integer values
• Return value
  • (array of integer): array of integer values
• Examples:
  • parseInts("9 8 -23") = [9, 8, -23]
  • parseInts("tiddly-pom") = []

parseDoubles( str )

Attempts to interpret a string as an array of floating point values. An ad-hoc algorithm is used that tries to extract a list of numeric values from a string; a comma- or space-separated list of floating point values will work, and other formats may or may not.

This function can be used as a hacky way to extract the numeric values from an STC-S (for instance ObsCore/EPNcore s_region) string.

The details of this function's behaviour may change in future releases.

• Parameters:
  • str (String): string containing a list of floating point values
• Return value
  • (array of floating point): array of floating point values
• Examples:
  • parseDoubles("1.3, 99e1, NaN, -23") = [1.3, 990.0, NaN, -23.0]
  • parseDoubles("Polygon ICRS 0.8 2.1 9.0 2.1 6.2 8.6") = [0.8, 2.1, 9.0, 2.1, 6.2, 8.6]
  • parseDoubles("La la la") = []

toByte( value )

Attempts to convert the numeric argument to a byte (8-bit signed integer) result. If it is out of range, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • value (floating point): numeric value for conversion
• Return value
  • (byte): value converted to type byte

toShort( value )

Attempts to convert the numeric argument to a short (16-bit signed integer) result. If it is out of range, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • value (floating point): numeric value for conversion
• Return value
  • (short integer): value converted to type short

toInteger( value )

Attempts to convert the numeric argument to an int (32-bit signed integer) result. If it is out of range, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • value (floating point): numeric value for conversion
• Return value
  • (integer): value converted to type int

toLong( value )

Attempts to convert the numeric argument to a long (64-bit signed integer) result. If it is out of range, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • value (floating point): numeric value for conversion
• Return value
  • (long integer): value converted to type long

toFloat( value )

Attempts to convert the numeric argument to a float (32-bit floating point) result. If it is out of range, a blank value will result.

• Parameters:
  • value (floating point): numeric value for conversion
• Return value
  • (floating point): value converted to type float

toDouble( value )

Converts the numeric argument to a double (64-bit signed integer) result.

• Parameters:
  • value (floating point): numeric value for conversion
• Return value
  • (floating point): value converted to type double

toHex( value )

Converts the integer argument to hexadecimal form.

• Parameters:
  • value (long integer): integer value
• Return value
  • (String): hexadecimal representation of value
• Example:
  • toHex(42) = "2a"

fromHex( hexVal )

Converts a string representing a hexadecimal number to its integer value.

• Parameters:
  • hexVal (String): hexadecimal representation of value
• Return value
  • (integer): integer value represented by hexVal
• Example:
  • fromHex("2a") = 42