Val

Description

Converts numeric characters that occur at the beginning of a string to a number.

Returns

A number. If conversion fails, returns zero.

Function syntax

Val(string)

Parameters

Parameter	Description
string	A string or a variable that contains one

Usage

This function works as follows:

If TestValue = "234A56?7'", Val(TestValue) returns 234.
If TestValue = "234'5678'9?'", Val(TestValue) returns 234.
If TestValue = "BG234", Val(TestValue) returns the value 0, (not an error).
If TestValue = "0", Val(TestValue) returns the value 0, (not an error).

Example

<h3>Val Example</h3>
<cfif IsDefined("FORM.theTestValue")>
   <cfif Val(FORM.theTestValue) is not 0>
      <h3>The string <cfoutput>#DE(FORM.theTestValue)#</cfoutput> 
can be converted to a number:
      <cfoutput>#Val(FORM.theTestValue)#</cfoutput></h3>
   <cfelse>
      <h3>The beginning of the string <cfoutput>#DE(FORM.theTestValue)#
       </cfoutput> cannot be converted to a number</h3>
   </cfif>
</cfif>
<form action = "val.cfm">
<p>Enter a string, and determine whether its beginning can be evaluated 
to a numeric value.
<p>
<input type = "Text" 
   name = "TheTestValue" 
   value = "123Boy">
<input type = "Submit" 
   value = "Is the beginning numeric?" 
   name = "">
</form>

Version 7

Comments

MikerRoo said on Oct 13, 2005 at 2:21 AM :

Val () does not work with either commas or exponents.
This is a bug that should be documented here and fixed.

For example:
" 32,767" becomes 32
"-32,767" becomes -32
" 1.18E-38" becomes 1.18
"-1.18E-38" becomes -1.18

etc., etc.

CFTycoon67 said on Aug 25, 2006 at 12:19 PM :

The val function also has a 12 digit limit. Anything longer than twelve digits will be converted to an exponent. Doh!

13 Digit Example:

val(1234567890123) returns 1.23456789012E+012

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Val