Language/locale features

[bjnobre]

Is language/locale supported? If yes, how can I set it. I want to use the comma (",") as decimal separator due to my keyboard layout is Brazilian portuguese (it have a comma instead a dot on numeric keyboard).

[lcn2]

Hello @bjnobre ,

While I am very sympathetic to the use of the decimal comma, there is a significant barrier to doing so in calc.

Calc is a C-style arbitrary precision calculator. As with C, the calc language uses the comma "," as a fundamental operator.

Consider the following function call:

; round(2.7)
	3

Consider what would happen if that 2.7 were written with the decimal comma:

; round(2,7)
	2                          <<== DIFFERENT value is returned!

This is because the round function takes optional arguments, separated by comma ",";s,
In this case 7 becomes number of places to round.

Moreover consider how awkward it would be if the decimal comma were enabled and
one wanted to round 2,7 to 2 places.

Consider:

; round(2.35,1)
	2.4

Say somehow the harder were to understand that the 2nd comma separated the next argument, unfortunately existing code would break:

; round(2,35,1)
	2                          <<== DIFFERENT value is returned!

This is because the round function can take a 3rd optional argument (rounding mode).

Even worse, consider the declaration is a matrix:

; mat a[2] = {2,3}
; a

mat [2] (2 elements, 2 nonzero):
	 [0] = 2
	 [1] = 3

Consider what would happen if the 2,3 were written with the decimal comma:

; mat a[2] = {2,3}
; a

mat [2] (2 elements, 1 nonzero):
	 [0] = 2,3
	 [1] = 0                      <<== NOT all values are initialized!

Much worse, declaring variables would break. This is valid calc:

 a = 2.5, b = 7

However if a were initialized with a decimal comma:

 a = 2,5, b = 7

one generates a "Constant before comma operator" warning.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point / comma. 🤓

I don't see an easy way to allow decimal comma's a part of the calc input syntax language. I wish there was a straightforward way to allow for decimal comma's in calc, but unfortunately:

• In calc the comma is an operator
• In some cases the presence of a "decimal comma" would change the calculation result
• Existing valid calc code would break under a "decimal comma"

In addition, whitespace is a token separator, so:

x = 1 000

is interpreted as the x = 1, assigning the value of 1 to x and then it would see 000 as a separate value, triggering an "Missing operator" error.

We are unable to change the calc syntax because, like in C one cannot do:

int x = 1 000;

Sorry

[SirWumpus]

Function arguments are lists essentially and as I recall locales define a list separator, like France typically uses ;, instead of ,. So round(2.35, 1) could be expressed assuming the list operator of locale for France, eg round(2,35; 1) - not pretty when we're so used to comma from C, Java, JavaScript, etc. Its just a matter of the parser taking into account the appropriate separators I would have thought. I18N is a pain, but doable.

[SirWumpus]

However, with scripts in order to be portable across locales, you probably need to stick to one syntax and number style. Where locales comes more into play is during operation feeding numbers into spreadsheet or database or other input format, because those will be parsed into internal form.

[lcn2]

Function arguments are lists essentially and as I recall locales define a list separator, like France typically uses ;, instead of ,. So round(2.35, 1) could be expressed assuming the list operator of locale for France, eg round(2,35; 1) - not pretty when we're so used to comma from C, Java, JavaScript, etc. Its just a matter of the parser taking into account the appropriate separators I would have thought. I18N is a pain, but doable.

No, because the "," is an operator.

No, your syntax of round(2,35; 1) would work as the ";" is an operator. Even if you hacked something horrible, existing scripts would break.

No, your idea fails to address/ignores just some of the syntax issues as outlined in GH discussioncomment-16359671.

Calc is c-like in syntax. You could no more have C floating constants use a decimal comma, breaking all sorts of existing code, than to have calc do it.

No, sorry, no.