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NumberFormat devilry
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:42 pm
by dunbarx
In a small stack I have two buttons and a field. In one button script:
Code: Select all
on mouseUp
put "" into fld 1
put 6 into temp
set the numberFormat to "#.000"
put temp + 0 into fld 1
end mouseUp
Not rocket science, I get "6.000". Now in the other button script:
Code: Select all
on mouseUp
put "" into fld 1
put padThree(6) into fld 1
end mouseUp
function padThree var
set the numberFormat to "#.000"
add 0 to var
--OPPTIONS
return var -- puts 6
return var & "K" --puts 6.000K
return var & quote --puts 6.000"
return char 1 to 5 of var & "K" -- puts 6.000
end padThree
Any char at all in place of that "K" will preserve the three digit decimal. The truncated string does as well. The question is this: what is it about calling a function as opposed to straight inLine code? What goes awry with what I see as a very similar process? I struggled with this for a while before I simply included the quote workaround and moved on.
Craig
Re: NumberFormat devilry
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:01 pm
by Klaus
Hi Craig,
there was a long thread in the use-list about numberformat pros and cons some time ago.
Don't remember exactly the tech stuff but the conclusion was that using the FORMAT()
function is the better choice for formatting numbers!
So use this instead:
Code: Select all
function padThree tVar
return format("%0.3f",tVar)
end padThree
I change var to tVar since var got colorized in the script editor, no idea why, but why tempt fate?
Best
Klaus
Re: NumberFormat devilry
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:14 pm
by dunbarx
Klaus.
Thanks. I must remember not to be so set in my ways.
Craig
Re: NumberFormat devilry
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:16 pm
by Klaus
Hi Craig,
a very good idea, will make you life much easier!
At least it made mine.
Best
Klaus
Re: NumberFormat devilry
Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 3:54 pm
by jacque
The mailing list thread included some enlightening stuff from Mark Waddingham, it's worth reading. Basically, numberFormat only works on strings. Adding an alpha character creates a string, as does putting the text into a field. Math operations do something similar but (apparently) only within the handler; when the function returns the number it does so as a number, not a string. Or else the receiving handler interprets it as a number.
You could probably add the zero in the calling handler instead of the function and make it work.