JavaScript parseFloat in Different Cultures
JavascriptCultureJavascript Problem Overview
I have a question about the default behavior of JavaScript's parseFloat function in different parts of the world.
In the US, if you call parseFloat on a string "123.34", you'd get a floating point number 123.34.
If I'm developing code in say Sweden or Brazil and they use a comma instead of a period as the decimal separator, does the parseFloat function expect "123,34" or "123.34".
Please note that I'm not asking how to parse a different culture's number format in the US. I'm asking does parseFloat in Sweden or Brazil behave the same way it does inside the US, or does it expect a number in its local format? Or to better think about this, does a developer in Brazil/Sweden have to convert strings to English format before it can use parseFloat after extracting text from a text box?
Please let me know if this doesn't make sense.
Javascript Solutions
Solution 1 - Javascript
parseFloat doesn't use your locale's definition, but the definition of a decimal literal.
It only parses . not ,
I'm brazilian and I have to replace comma with dot before parsing decimal numbers.
Solution 2 - Javascript
No, parseFloat is specified to parse DecimalLiterals, which use the dot as decimal separator. It does not depend on the current environment's locale settings.
Solution 3 - Javascript
It’s not just Sweden/Brazil. F.ex in US they often add commas in large numbers, like $5,762,325.25.
The parseFloat function essentially deals with decimals, not locale strings.
In general, JavaScript can sometimes convert generic strings/numbers/dates to locale-friendly formats, but not the other way around.
Solution 4 - Javascript
If you are sure it is in Brasilian format, just convert the number to US format before parsing.
function parseItalianNumber(stringNum) {
return parseFloat(stringNum.replace(".","").replace(",","."));
}
in Italy we also use . as a thousands separator. This removes any thousands separators, just in case (you do not want many dots around), and then converts the comma to a dot, before calling parseFloat.
Solution 5 - Javascript
Complementing the answer given by FrancescoMM, you must use regex for really big numbers. String.replace using string as a parameter will replace only the first occurrence. So 999.999.999,99 becomes 999999.999.99
stringNum.replace(/\./g, "").replace(/\,/g, ".")
Source:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/String/replace