parsing a string of digits

Hi Jim,

This can be (and should) implemented as recursive function. I have a version written ín Ruby (modification of code from a Ruby tutorial) that can rather easily be translated to VB2005 if you want to have it. In it look up arrays are used for strings,. I don't dare to post the Ruby code unless you want it (and no one else has a VB version).

Regards

Csaba

CsabaU at 2007-10-3 >

Hi again,

I made a quick translation to VB2005 from Ruby, the reason for the 'Rubish" variable names. This is my first BASIC code with recursion, ever!

Regards

Csaba

(PS - This is really a straighforward translation, and it shows how good VB8 is compared with old VB and BASIC versions)

Function numbers_in_english(ByVal number_to_translate As Int32) As String

' special case, not yet for negative numbers

If number_to_translate < 0 Then

Return "Please enter only positive numbers!"

ElseIf number_to_translate = 0 Then

Return "zero"

End If

' No more special cases! no more returns!

Dim number_as_string As String = "" ' This is the string we will return

' These array are used to look up english words for numbers,

' Since array is zero- based, fill "0:th place" with dummy value

Dim ones_place As String() = {"zero_never_used", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine"}

Dim tens_place As String()= {"zero_never_used", "ten", "twenty", "thirty", "fourty", "fifty", "sixty", "seventy", "eighty" , "ninety"}

Dim teenagers As String() = {"zero_never_used", "eleven", "twelve", "thirteen", "fourteen", "fifteen", "sixteen", "seventeen", "eighteen", "nineteen"}

' digits_to_convert is the part of number_to_translate right now.

Dim digits_to_convert As Int32 = number_to_translate \ 100 ' How many hundreds?

' reminder is how much of number_to_convert we still have left to convert

Dim reminder As Int32 = number_to_translate - digits_to_convert * 100 ' Subtract of those hundreds

If digits_to_convert > 0 Then ' Now here is the recursion

Dim hundreds_as_string As String = numbers_in_english(digits_to_convert)

number_as_string = number_as_string & hundreds_as_string & " hundred"

If reminder > 0 Then ' So we don't write as 'twohundredfifty-one'

number_as_string = number_as_string & " "

End If

End If

digits_to_convert = reminder \ 10 ' How many tens left

reminder = reminder - digits_to_convert * 10 ' Subtract of those teens

If digits_to_convert > 0 Then

If digits_to_convert = 1 And reminder > 0 Then ' 11 ...19

' Since we can't write 'teenty-two' instead of twelve

' we have to make a special exception

' Since we took care of all digits in

' reminder already, we have nothing left to convert

Else ' 20 ...99

End If

If reminder > 0 Then ' so we don't write 'sixtyfour'

number_as_string = number_as_string & "-"

End If

End If

' Only single digits left in remider to convert, do it if it is larger than zero

If reminder > 0 Then

End If

' ready!

Return number_as_string

End Function ' of numbers_in_english

CsabaU at 2007-10-3 >

Hi again,

here is a version with also thousend and millions. I leave billion as excersise.

Regards

Csaba

CsabaU at 2007-10-3 >

Hi Jim,

Based on you post, you need to convert the numbers to the word.

I recommend you use the HashTable object to save the basic numbers and corresponding words. You can then use this basic numbers to compose the other numbers, for example 0-9, 10, 100. I think it is the easy way by using the HashTable to convert numbers to the words. For more information about how to use the HashTable class, please visit: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.collections.hashtable.aspx. Here is the code snippet to convert 0-9999 to the words.

Best regards,

Riquel.

RiquelDong–MSFT at 2007-10-3 >