Applies To
	Product(s):	gINT Logs, gINT Professional, gINT Professional Plus
	Version(s):	v8i 8.3
	Environment:	N/A
	Area:	Installation
	Subarea:
	Original Author:	Kathleen Holcomb, Bentley Technical Support Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This wiki explains how to use gINT with the standard European use of commas and periods in numbers. For example, in European formatting, the value 12345.67 is expressed as 12.345,67 rather than 12,345.67.

Windows International Settings

Typically European users of Windows applications change their numeric formatting settings to European standard using Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Region and Language -> Change the date, time, or number format>Additional Settings.  This window appears as shown:

In this dialog box, European users would specify a Decimal Symbol of ‘,’ (comma) and a Digit Grouping Symbol of ‘.’ (period), whereas non-European users would specify a Decimal Symbol of ‘.’ (period) and a Digit Grouping Symbol of ‘,’ (comma).

Unfortunately, the European Decimal Symbol and Digit Grouping Symbol settings will not work with gINT.  You will see the following message:

When you click Yes, gINT changes the decimal symbol in the dialog box above.  Change it back to a comma after leaving gINT if you need your other applications (such as Excel and Word) to use European number formatting.

You can, however, make your gINT reports utilize correct European number formatting, even though the Windows system settings are set differently from this. This is discussed below.

European Numeric Format during Data Entry

With a global property setting, a comma can be used as the decimal symbol for entering data in input. To change this property setting select File -> System Properties -> Data Entry. The following dialog box appears: 

Check European Numeric Format during Data Entry.

Setting Up gINT Reports to Use European

Standard Number Formatting

Within gINT is a global property setting that alters the way format strings in the Format() function (and related functions) are interpreted. This property is called European Numeric Formatting With Format Functions. To change this property setting select File -> System Properties -> Output. The following dialog box appears:

To change the interpretation of formatting strings in these functions to European standard, check the European Numeric Formatting With Format Functions checkbox. To have gINT interpret these formatting strings using non-European formatting, uncheck this checkbox.

An example of a numeric formatting string is the following:

#,##0.0

Numeric formatting strings appear in the Format() function as the second argument, such as in the following:

<<Format(<<POINT.Elevation>>,"#,##0.0")>>

If the Elevation value is 1234.5, the above will print as 1,234.5 if the European Numeric Formatting With Format Functions property is unchecked in System Properties, and as 1.234,5 if the property is checked. You must utilize the Format() function (or another function that utilizes numeric formatting codes) in order to have the property setting reflected in the output of a numeric field. For example, the following:

<<POINT.Elevation>>

if not enclosed in a Format() function or similar, will print the example number as ‘1234.5’ not ‘1234,5’, regardless of the setting in that property.

Furthermore, even though you may be accustomed to using the comma as the decimal separator and the period as the thousands separator, this is not how they are used in creating a format specification string. You specify thousands separators as commas and the decimal separator as a period in a formatting string. The European Numeric Formatting With Format Functions property setting will ensure that your formatting strings are correctly interpreted.

See Also

For complete instructions on the Format() function and formatting strings, refer to Help -> Index ->Format (function).