localeconv(3C) (man pages section 3: Basic Library Functions)

man pages section 3: Basic Library Functions

localeconv(3C)

NAME

localeconv– get numeric formatting information

SYNOPSIS

#include <locale.h>

DESCRIPTION

The localeconv() function sets the components of an object with type struct lconv (defined in <locale.h>) with the values appropriate for the formatting of numeric quantities (monetary and otherwise) according to the rules of the current locale (see setlocale(3C)). The definition of struct lconv is given below (the values for the fields in the “C” locale are given in comments).

char *decimal_point;        /* "." */
char *thousands_sep;        /* "" (zero length string) */
char *grouping;             /* "" */
char *int_curr_symbol;      /* "" */
char *currency_symbol;      /* "" */
char *mon_decimal_point;    /* "" */
char *mon_thousands_sep;    /* "" */
char *mon_grouping;         /* "" */
char *positive_sign;        /* "" */
char *negative_sign;        /* "" */
char int_frac_digits;       /* CHAR_MAX */
char frac_digits;           /* CHAR_MAX */
char p_cs_precedes;         /* CHAR_MAX */
char p_sep_by_space;        /* CHAR_MAX */
char n_cs_precedes;         /* CHAR_MAX */
char n_sep_by_space;        /* CHAR_MAX */
char p_sign_posn;           /* CHAR_MAX*/
char n_sign_posn;           /* CHAR_MAX */

The members of the structure with type char * are strings, any of which (except decimal_point) can point to a null string (""), to indicate that the value is not available in the current locale or is of zero length. The members with type char are non-negative numbers, any of which can be CHAR_MAX (defined in the <limits.h> header) to indicate that the value is not available in the current locale. The members are the following:

char *decimal_point

The decimal-point character used to format non-monetary quantities.

char *thousands_sep

The character used to separate groups of digits to the left of the decimal-point character in formatted non-monetary quantities.

char *grouping

A string in which each element is taken as an integer that indicates the number of digits that comprise the current group in a formatted non-monetary quantity. The elements of grouping are interpreted according to the following:

CHAR_MAX: No further grouping is to be performed.
0: The previous element is to be repeatedly used for the remainder of the digits.
other: The value is the number of digits that comprise the current group. The next element is examined to determine the size of the next group of digits to the left of the current group.

char *int_curr_symbol

The international currency symbol applicable to the current locale, left-justified within a four-character space-padded field. The character sequences should match with those specified in ISO 4217 Codes for the Representation of Currency and Funds.

char *currency_symbol

The local currency symbol applicable to the current locale.

char *mon_decimal_point

The decimal point used to format monetary quantities.

char *mon_thousands_sep

The separator for groups of digits to the left of the decimal point in formatted monetary quantities.

char *mon_grouping

A string in which each element is taken as an integer that indicates the number of digits that comprise the current group in a formatted monetary quantity. The elements of mon_grouping are interpreted according to the rules described under grouping.

char *positive_sign

The string used to indicate a non-negative-valued formatted monetary quantity.

char *negative_sign

The string used to indicate a negative-valued formatted monetary quantity.

char int_frac_digits

The number of fractional digits (those to the right of the decimal point) to be displayed in an internationally formatted monetary quantity.

char frac_digits

The number of fractional digits (those to the right of the decimal point) to be displayed in a formatted monetary quantity.

char p_cs_precedes

Set to 1 or 0 if the currency_symbol respectively precedes or succeeds the value for a non-negative formatted monetary quantity.

char p_sep_by_space

Set to 1 or 0 if the currency_symbol respectively is or is not separated by a space from the value for a non-negative formatted monetary quantity.

char n_cs_precedes

Set to 1 or 0 if the currency_symbol respectively precedes or succeeds the value for a negative formatted monetary quantity.

char n_sep_by_space

Set to 1 or 0 if the currency_symbol respectively is or is not separated by a space from the value for a negative formatted monetary quantity.

char p_sign_posn

Set to a value indicating the positioning of the positive_sign for a non-negative formatted monetary quantity. The value of p_sign_posn is interpreted according to the following:

0: Parentheses surround the quantity and currency_symbol.
1: The sign string precedes the quantity and currency_symbol.
2: The sign string succeeds the quantity and currency_symbol.
3: The sign string immediately precedes the currency_symbol.
4: The sign string immediately succeeds the currency_symbol.

char n_sign_posn

Set to a value indicating the positioning of the negative_sign for a negative formatted monetary quantity. The value of n_sign_posn is interpreted according to the rules described under p_sign_posn.

RETURN VALUES

The localeconv() function returns a pointer to the filled-in object. The structure pointed to by the return value may be overwritten by a subsequent call to localeconv().

USAGE

The localeconv() function can be used safely in multithreaded applications, as long as setlocale(3C) is not being called to change the locale.

EXAMPLES

Example 1 Rules used by four countries to format monetary quantities.

The following table illustrates the rules used by four countries to format monetary quantities.

`Country`	`Positive format`	`Negative format`	`International format`
Italy	L.1.234	`-l`.1.234	ITL.1.234
Netherlands	F 1.234,56	F -1.234,56	NLG 1.234,56
Norway	kr1.234,56	kr1.234,56-	NOK 1.234,56
Switzerland	SFrs.1,234.56	SFrs.1,234.56C	CHF 1,234.56

For these four countries, the respective values for the monetary members of the structure returned by localeconv() are as follows:

	`Italy`	`Netherlands`	`Norway`	`Switzerland`
`int_curr_symbol`	"ITL."	"NLG "	"NOK "	"CHF "
`currency_symbol`	"L."	"F"	"kr"	"SFrs."
`mon_decimal_point`	""	","	","	"."
`mon_thousands_sep`	"."	"."	"."	","
`mon_grouping`	"\3"	"\3"	"\3"	"\3"
`positive_sign`	""	""	""	""
`negative_sign`	"-"	"-"	"-"	"C"
`int_frac_digits`	0	2	2	2
`frac_digits`	0	2	2	2
`p_cs_precedes`	1	1	1	1
`p_sep_by_space`	0	1	0	0
`n_cs_precedes`	1	1	1	1
`n_sep_by_space`	0	1	0	0
`p_sign_posn`	1	1	1	1
`n_sign_posn`	1	4	2	2

FILES

/usr/lib/locale/locale/LC_MONETARY/monetary: LC_MONETARY database for locale
/usr/lib/locale/locale/LC_NUMERIC/numeric: LC_NUMERIC database for locale

ATTRIBUTES

See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

ATTRIBUTE TYPE	ATTRIBUTE VALUE
MT-Level	MT-Safe with exceptions
CSI	Enabled