############# SUB-ROUTINE TO CHECK FOR INTEGER TYPE ##############

#check for small int, big int and int data types and return a 0 if cor
+rect

# else return a 1

sub int_chk 
{
my $input = shift;
$input = $input+0;

if ($data_type eq 'SMALLINT')
{
        if ($input > -32768 && $input < 32768)
        {
            return $positive;
        }
        else
        {
            return $negative;
        }
}

elsif ($data_type eq 'INTEGER')
{
    if ($input > -2147483648 && $input < 2147483647)
    {
        return $positive;
    }
    else
    {
        return $negative;
    }
}

elsif ($data_type eq 'BIGINT')
{
    if ($input > -9223372036854770000 && $input < 9223372036854770000)
    {
        return $positive;
    }
    else
    {
        return $negative;
    }
}
else
{
    return $negative;
}
}


############ SUB-ROUTINE TO CHECK FOR DECIMAL TYPE    ##############

sub decimal_chk 
{

#Here, I get a decimal input and separate it into 2 separate integers 
# say 123.45 split into 123 and 45

# I need to check if -999 < 123 < 999 and -99 < 45 < 99 . 

my $data=shift;

my $index=index($data,".")+1;


$main=substr($data,0,$index-1);
#print "Integer part is $main\n";

if ($index > 0)
{
$prec=substr($data,$index,length($data)-($index));
}
else
{
$prec='';
}

$u_len=length($main);
$l_len=length($prec);

$upper=9;
$lower=9;

for ($u_count = 1; $u_count < $u_len; $u_count++)
{
$upper=$upper."9";
}

for ($l_count = 1; $l_count < $l_len; $l_count++)
{
$lower=$lower."9";
}


# 123.45 will be declared as decimal(5,2), 2 being the decimal length


if ($main > (-1*$upper) && $main < $upper)
{
    if ($prec > (-1*$lower) && $prec < $lower)
    {
        if (($u_len <= ($data_precision-$data_dec_len)) && ($l_len <= 
+$data_dec_len))    # Final length check with specified lengths
        {
            return $positive;
        }
        else
        {
            return $negative;
        }
    }
    else
    {
        return $negative;
    }
}
else
{
    return $negative;
}
}
[download]

I carefully read your code and made a few tweaks to it. You are making a good start. Read and reread the docs, ask questions and keep working at it. I strongly recommend that you take the time to understand regexes. They are a very, very, useful and powerful tool.

I noticed some problems with your code as I read it.

• You have inconsistent use of inclusive vs exclusive comparisons.
• Your algorithm for floating point validation would allow numbers like '12. 3' (that's a space between the . and the 3) to pass.
• There are a number of variables that seem to come from nowhere. Are they globals?
• You are using C style for loops.

For loops in perl are usually done as follows:

# You had
for ($l_count = 1; $l_count < $l_len; $l_count++)
{
$lower=$lower."9";
}

# Try this instead:
for my $l_count ( 1..$l_len ) {
    $lower=$lower."9";

}

# To build up a string like this you should be using the 'x' operator
my $lower = '9' x $l_len;
[download]

Here's your code with my tweaks applied. What follows is untested, but should work.

use constant MATCH => 1;  # Return value for good match
use constant FAIL  => 0;  # Retrun value for failed match

use constant MIN   => 0;  # Index of minimum value for integer checks
use constant MAX   => 1;  # Index of maximum value for integer checks

############# SUB-ROUTINE TO CHECK FOR INTEGER TYPE ##############

#check for small int, big int and int data types and return a 0 if cor
+rect

# else return a 1

sub int_chk {
    my $input     = shift;
    my $data_type = shift;  # Where was this coming from in your code?

    $input = $input+0;

    # Test for integerness
    if ( $input != int( $input ) ) {
        return FAIL;
    }

    # Use a hash lookup to simplify your code.
    my %check = (   # type                         MIN                
+  MAX
        SMALLINT => [               -32768,               32767 ],
        INTEGER  => [          -2147483648,          2147483647 ],
        BIGINT   => [ -9223372036854770000, 9223372036854770000 ],
    );

    # Test for range
    if ( exists $check{$data_type} ) {

        my $match = (
            $input >= $check{$data_type}[MIN] # I used inclusive range
+s here
                and 
            $input <= $check{$data_type}[MAX] 
        ) ? MATCH : FAIL;

        return $match;
    }
    else {
        return FAIL;
    }

    die "Unreachable code executed";
}

sub decimal_chk {
    my $input = shift;
    my $whole_places   = shift || 3;  # Set a default value
    my $decimal_places = shift || 2;  # for each of these args

    return $input =~ /
        ^                           # Start of input
        -?                          # Optional minus sign
        \d{0,$whole_places}         # 1-? whole number digits
        (
            \.                      # Manadatory decimal point
            \d{0,$decimal_places}   # 1-? decimal places
        )?                          # decimal section is optional
        $                           # End of input
    /x ? MATCH : FAIL ;     # x modifier allows comments and whitespac
+e

}
[download]


TGI says moo

TGI, I really appreciate you taking time off to review my code. Thanks..!!!

I am working on my regex skills now. I should get better at it in the coming weeks.

The variables I have not defined are globals.. sorry I should have mentioned that... Your code looks much cleaner and easier to debug than mine...!!!! Thanks a lot...!!!!!

I have got a lot of people telling me about using the modules. Can anyone give me info on how I can check this. Everytime I use this, I get this error message.

"Can't locate Regexp/Common.pm in @INC (@INC contains: /etrade/pkgs/perl/5.8.0_crm/lib/perl5 /etrade/pkgs/perl/5.8.0_crm/lib/perl5/site_perl /etrade/pkgs/perl/5.8.0_crm/lib/site_perl /usr/perl5/5.00503/sun4-solaris /usr/perl5/5.00503 /usr/perl5/site_perl/5.005/sun4-solaris /usr/perl5/site_perl/5.005 .) at dm.pl line 3."