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Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2006 05:45:36 -0500
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Subject: is_numeric_string and general string-to-number conversion
From: php_lists@realplain.com ("Matt W")

Hi there,

I've been looking at the different string->number related functions lately.
It looks like is_numeric_[string|unicode]() could be optimized.  Here's what
I was thinking: Can functions like zend_[string|unicode]_to_number() be
added?  Then is_numeric_* could always call only 1 function that would
handle long and double (like in _php_math_basetozval). Now strtol() or
zend_strtod() can be called unnecessarily, depending on the scenario.

BUT, in order for me to do this, *can* doubles/floats be handled
correctly/accurately using simple code such as in the existing
zend_string_to_double()?  So you know what I mean, the function prototype
might look like this:

zend_uchar zend_string_to_number(char *str, char **end, int base, long
*lval, double *dval)

This is the type of function I think would be nice (on its own) where I was
updating PHP's dec*() functions to handle larger values -- 
is_numeric_string/convert_scalar_to_number aren't right, IMO, because they
allow hex strings (in dechex()?? :-)), besides being more inefficient
because of the current is_numeric_string.  I was looking for more of a plain
convert_to_number, like convert_to_long, but would use a double if needed.

Thoughts?


Thanks,
Matt