Re: fractional cents

On 21 Apr 2004 at 22:55, A. Pagaltzis wrote:

> * John Douglas Porter <[email protected]> [2004-04-20 08:39]:
> > It seems to me that the precision desired should depend on
> > context, and nothing else.  And that being the case...
> > 
> >   printf $fractional_cents ? '%7.3f' : '%7.sf', $amt;
> > 
> > irrespective of the value of $amt.  Why is this not right?
> 
> What you have written is neutral with regards to the issue I was
> referring to.
> 
> If you do this by looking at $amt, then your method must be
> mathematical, because chopping characters in the string
> representation of the unrounded $amt might occasionally lead to
> results different from what the mathematical method would have
> produced with rounding involved.

Correct, but doesn't "%.Xf" round?  And so running it through the 
(s)printf before you mess with it gets you the desired rounding, doesn't 
it?

As for John's question, it is a matter of significant digits.  When 
you're pricing things, prices are in dollars and cents.... except for 
those few items which are fractional.  I know *I* wouldn't want to see 
every price come out as "$12.750" just because one item is "1.975/gallon" 
or [the actual situation]: "$.995/lb"

And so for 'normal prices' I want them printed normally, and only the 
fractional-prices should print with the extra digit...

   /Bernie\

-- 
Bernie Cosell                     Fantasy Farm Fibers
mailto:[email protected]     Pearisburg, VA
    -->  Too many people, too few sheep  <--