Re: [whatwg] <input type=number> for currency input

Michael Gratton <mike@vee.net> writes:

> Hi,
>
> As the spec currently stands, use of <input type=number> is unsuitable 
> for currency and other input that require a minimum number of decimal 
> points displayed. When displaying decimal currency values, the typical 
> convention is that a precision of two decimal points is used, 
> regardless of numeric value. That is, one dollar is displayed as 
> "1.00", not "1". However the latter is the result when using <input 
> type=number> in implementations that follow the spec, such as Chrome 
> and Firefox.
>
> Section "4.10.5.1.9 Number state (type=number)" currently states: "If 
> the user agent provides a user interface for selecting a number, then 
> the value must be set to the best representation of the number 
> representing the user's selection as a floating-point number" - 
> effectively by calling JavaScript's ToString on the number. This gives 
> rise to the undesirable representation above.
>
> Since both the spec and existing implementations use the step attribute 
> to effectively specify the maximum number of decimal points for the 
> representation of the number, it also seems reasonable for the step 
> attribute to also define the minimum. This can perhaps be acheived by 
> changing the definition of the "best representation of the number n as 
> a floating-point number" to use the JavaScript Number.ToPrecision 
> function, and obtaining the precision from the step attribute, rather 
> than using ToString.
>
> This will work for integral currencies by specifying a step of 1, as 
> well as decimal currencies that that use a single decimal point, by 
> specifying a step of "0.1".
>
> Thoughts?

I think that float is simply the wrong data type for fractional amounts
of currency. Let me tell you an abrasive programmer joke regarding that:

bool gender;
int phone_number;
float money_amount;


Cheers,
-- 
Nils Dagsson Moskopp // erlehmann
<http://dieweltistgarnichtso.net>

Received on Thursday, 8 January 2015 02:45:41 UTC