Re: Exploiting Perls idea of what is a number

use Scalar::Util qw(looks_like_number);

sub compare {
    my ($x, $y) = @_:
    if (looks_like_number($x) && looks_like_number($y)){
       return $x == $y;
    } else {
       return $x eq $y;
    }
}
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Comment on Re: Exploiting Perls idea of what is a number Download Code

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Re^2: Exploiting Perls idea of what is a number by syphilis (Archbishop) on Jul 08, 2008 at 14:00 UTC
My first thoughts were in the direction of Scalar::Util::looks_like_number, too ... but that always leads to the consideration of what should be done with strings like '3567rubb13h'. Perl will numify that to 3567, yet Scalar::Util::looks_like_number will tell you that it doesn't look like a number. (It amuses me that perl is capable of bestowing a non-zero numerical value on something that doesn't even "look like a number".) Does rovf want such a string to be kept as a string ? or should it instead be numified to 3567 ? Cheers, Rob	[reply]
Re^3: Exploiting Perls idea of what is a number by rovf (Priest) on Jul 09, 2008 at 06:44 UTC
what should be done with strings like '3567rubb13h' At the moment, this type of strings won't be a problem, but if they appear (for example, with (the same) measurement unit appended, such as "450KB"), it would be fine to have them interpreted as number. -- Ronald Fischer <ynnor@mm.st>	[reply]