GNU bug report logs - #16293
24.3.50; doc of `string-to-number'

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Message #14 received at 16293 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: jay.p.belanger <at> gmail.com
Cc: 16293 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: RE: bug#16293: 24.3.50; doc of `string-to-number'
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2013 16:03:29 -0800 (PST)

> >> > Say what happens if STRING cannot successfully be parsed as a number:
> >> > the function raises an error.
> >>
> >> When would it give an error, rather than 0?
> >
> > If it never raises an error, then say explicitly that for any
> > string that cannot successfully be parsed as a number it returns 0.
> 
> It does say:
>      If the first character after the ignored whitespace is neither a
>      digit in the given base, nor a plus or minus sign, nor the leading
>      dot of a floating point number, this function returns 0.
>
> Should this be reworded, or perhaps moved to earlier in the
> documentation?

It should be corrected to be more complete.  It's not just about the
first character.  Any string of characters that cannot be successfully
parsed as a number results in a return value of zero (apparently - I
have not checked the code).  "+@", for instance.
 

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