Purpose
Returns the numeric value represented by a string. You can call this function from the MapBasic window in MapInfo Pro.
Syntax
Val( string_expr )string_expr is a string expression.
Return Value
Float
Description
The Val() function returns a number based on the string_expr string expression. Val() ignores any white spaces (tabs, spaces, line feeds) at the start of the string_expr string, then tries to interpret the first character(s) as a numeric value. The Val() function then stops processing the string as soon as it finds a character that is not part of the number. If the first non-white-space character in the string is not a period, a digit, a minus sign, or an ampersand character (&), Val() returns zero. (The ampersand is used in hexadecimal notation; see example below.)
Note: If the string includes a decimal separator, it must be a period, regardless of whether the user's computer is set up to use some other character as the decimal separator. Also, the string cannot contain thousands separators. To remove thousands separators from a numeric string, call the DeformatNumber$() function.
Example
Dim f_num As Float
f_num = Val("12 thousand")
' f_num is now equal to 12
f_num = Val("12,345")
' f_num is now equal to 12
f_num = Val(" 52 - 62 Brunswick Ave")
' f_num is now equal to 52
f_num = Val("Eighteen")
' f_num is now equal to 0 (zero)
f_num = Val("&H1A")
' f_num is now equal to 26 (which equals hexadecimal 1A) See Also:
DeformatNumber$() function, Format$() function, Set Format statement, Str$() function