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Manual page for localeconv(3C)

localeconv - get numeric formatting information

SYNOPSIS

#include <locale.h>

struct lconv *localeconv(void);

MT-LEVEL

Safe with exceptions

DESCRIPTION

localeconv() 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 nonnegative 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 nonnegative-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 nonnegative 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 nonnegative 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 nonnegative 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

localeconv() 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().

EXAMPLES

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

NOTES

localeconv() can be used safely in a multi-thread application, as long as setlocale.3c is not being called to change the locale.

LC_MONETARY: Determines how monetary formats are handled. In the "C" locale, monetary handling follows the U.S. rules.
LC_NUMERIC: Determines how numeric formats are handled. In the "C" locale, numeric handling follows the U.S. rules.

Last modified 21/April/97