RE: [HACKERS] ordinal decimal number

My personal opinion: ordinal numbers can get a th, rd, nd, or st. That
implies whole numbers only. If an ordinal is requested, test for a positive
integer; if not an integer, leave alone, otherwise add whichever suffix is
required.

2 -> 2nd
2.2 -> 2.2
NaN -> NaN
4 -> 4th
-6 -> -6

MikeA

-----Original Message-----
From: Hannu Krosing
To: Karel Zak - Zakkr
Cc: Oliver Elphick; J. Roeleveld; pgsql-hackers
Sent: 00/01/05 06:00
Subject: Re: [HACKERS] ordinal decimal number

Karel Zak - Zakkr wrote:
>
> On Wed, 5 Jan 2000, Oliver Elphick wrote:
>
> > "J. Roeleveld" wrote:
> > >> Hi,
> > >>
> > >> I add to the to_char() routine "ordinal-number" feature, but my
> > >> English is insufficient for this :-( (sorry)
> > >
> > >There are enough people that speak English, what we don't have
enough
> > >of on this world are people that know what they can and can't do
:)
> > >
> > >> I good know how is it for non-decimal numbers, but if number
has
> > >> decimal part?
> > >>
> > >> Example: 2.6 --> 2.6th
> > >> or 2.6 --> 2.6nd
> > >
> > >It's: 2.6 --> 2.6th
> >
> > It isn't really possible to have an ordinal with decimal places in
> > English; it sounds very awkward.
> >
> > Ordinals designate placing in a list; a computer example would be an
> > array index. How can such a number have decimal places?

I guess they are awkward in most languages, except for designating
powers
where they _could_ be used by extension of their use for integer powers?

e raised to the pi-th power ?

btw, should 2.2 be 2.2nd or 2.2th (two point tooth :)

what about rationals 7 2/3 th ?

what about legal float numbers like infinity (is it infinitieth)
and NaN - NaN-th or NaNd :)

for me 2.2nd represents not decimal but hierrachy, so it should be
possible to
have
2.2.2.2nd

> I implement it to to_char (ordinal with decimal places), but is user
choise
> if use or not use it...

Is your code locale-aware ?

I guess that this is something that could probbaly be found in
localisation
tables,
except perhaps for floats.

------------------
Hannu

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