FIX: Val Function Recognizes System Decimal Symbol

ID: Q171488

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual Basic Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

In Visual Basic 5.0, the Val function recognizes the system Decimal Symbol when converting numbers contained in a string as a numeric value. This behavior is contrary to earlier versions of Visual Basic and to the Visual Basic 5.0 Documentation.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This bug has been fixed in Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 2.

For more information on the Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 2, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q170365 INFO: Visual Studio 97 Service Packs - What, Where, and Why

For a list of the Visual Basic 5.0 bugs that were fixed in the Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 2, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q171554 INFO: Visual Basic 5.0 Fixes in Visual Studio 97 Service Pack 2

MORE INFORMATION

The Help topic for the Val function states the following:

The Val function recognizes only the period (.) as a valid decimal separator. When different decimal separators can be used, for example, in international applications, use CDbl instead to convert a string to a number.

When the system Decimal separator is a period (.), the Val function returns the expected results:


                        Returns...
                        ----------
   Val("1.2")             1.2
   Val("1,2")             1

However, with Microsoft Visual Basic version 5.0, when the system Decimal separator is a symbol other than a period (.), the Val function will recognize the system Decimal separator instead of the period (.) as documented. The following table illustrates the results of the Val function when the Decimal separator is set to a comma (,):


                        Returns...     But Should Return...
                        ----------     --------------------
   Val("1.2")             1            1,2
   Val("1,2")             1,2          1

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

In the Regional Settings section of the Windows Control Panel, set the Decimal Symbol to a comma (,).

Start a new "Standard EXE" project in Visual Basic.

Add the following code to the Load event of Form1.


       Debug.Print Val("1.2")
       Debug.Print Val("1,2")

Press the F5 key to run the project.

The Immediate Window shows the following.
```
      1
      1,2 
```

The expected results are:


      1,2
      1

Additional query words: intl

Keywords : kbVBp500 kbVS97sp2fix kbGrpVB kbvbp500sp2fix
Version : 5.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug