Base Concepts of Internationalization in PHP : Page 3

Using the I18N_Number Class
This class localizes numbers. It formats a given number using either a default or defined format. The format function has the following prototype:

• string format(mixed $number, [mixed $format = null]): Returns the formatted $number according to the format specified by the $format argument, which takes one of the values: I18N_NUMBER_FLOAT, I18N_NUMBER_INTEGER or a custom format created using the setFormat method described next. If the $format argument is missing then the default value is I18N_NUMBER_FLOAT.

The class inherits its next two functions from the I18N_Format class:

• int setFormat(string $format): Define a custom format given by the $format argument.
• void getFormat(): Returns a format identifier that can be passed to the format method for specifying the number's format type.

The following example sets a custom format and returns the formatted number and the associated format identifier:

   <?php
   
   require_once 'I18N/Number.php';
   
   //Create an instance of the I18N_Number class
   $number = new I18N_Number( 'en_US' );
   
   //Print in the float format the pi value
   print( 'float --> '. $number->format( 999999,1 ) ).'<br />';
   
   //Print in a custom format the pi value
   print( 'custom --> '.$number->format(
      999999,$number->setFormat(
      array(5,'$','#'))) ).'<br />';
   
   //Print the custom format id
   print ( 'custom format id --> '.$number->getFormat() ).'<br />';
   
   //Print in the integer format the pi value
   print( 'integer --> '.$number->format( 999999,2 ) ).'<br />';
   ?>

The result is:

   float --> 999,999.000
   custom --> 999#999$00000
   custom format id --> 100
   integer --> 999,999

Listing 1 shows a longer example that formats a given number for different languages. The listing sets up a simple input page where users can enter a number. It then formats the number appropriately for a range of different language codes. Figure 1 shows a screenshot of the simple interface.

Figure 1. Simple Numeric-Entry Interface: When a user enters a numeric value and clicks Send, the application displays the entered value in a variety of locale-specific formats.

For example, if a user entered 123456, the program would produce results like these:

Float format:

   es_ES --> 123.456,000
   nl_NL --> 123 456,000
   de_DE --> 123.456,000
   fr_FR --> 123 456,000
   it_IT --> 123.456,000
   en_US --> 123,456.000
   
   The float format id is : 1

Integer format:

   es_ES --> 123.456
   nl_NL --> 123 456
   de_DE --> 123.456
   fr_FR --> 123 456
   it_IT --> 123.456
   en_US --> 123,456
   
   The integer format id is : 2

Custom format:

   es_ES --> 123*456&00
   nl_NL --> 123*456&00
   de_DE --> 123*456&00
   fr_FR --> 123*456&00
   it_IT --> 123*456&00
   en_US --> 123*456&00
   
   The custom format id is : 100

Using the I18N_Currency class
You use the I18N_Currency class to localize currency values and format specified amounts using a default or defined format. The format function has the next prototype:

• void format(mixed $amount, [mixed $format = I18N_CURRENCY_LOCAL]): Returns the $amount formatted according to the specified format, which can be either I18N_CURRENCY_LOCAL, or I18N_CURRENCY_INTERNATIONAL, or can take a custom format created using the setFormat method described next. If the $format argument is missing, the default value is I18N_CURRENCY_LOCAL.

The I18N_Currency class inherits the setFormat and getFormat methods from the I18N_Format class (see the preceding section, "Using the I18N_Number Class").

Here's a short sample application that formats a given amount for different languages. This example uses a simple data-entry interface identical to the previous example (see Figure 1), and formats the user's entry appropriately for several different locales. You can download the complete code; the example below shows only the pertinent PHP code in the page:

   <?php 
   require_once 'I18N/Currency.php';
            
   if(isset($_GET['currency'])) 
   { 
      $get_sum = $_GET['currency'];  
   
      $languages = array('es_ES','nl_NL','de_DE','fr_FR','it_IT','en_US');
               
      print '<font face style="Arial" color="000076">';
      print '<h4><u>Currency format</u></h4>';
   
      foreach( $languages as $lang )
      {
         //Create an instance of the I18N_Currency class
         $currency = new I18N_Currency( $lang );
                             
         print '<font face style="Arial" color="000076" 
            size="3"><b>'.$lang.'</b><br />';
                     
         //Print the $currency variable into the currency local format   
         print 'Currency Local --> '.$currency->format($get_sum).'<br />';   
   
         //Print the $currency variable into the currency international format
         print 'Currency International --> '.$currency->format(
            $get_sum,2).'<br /><br />';
      }
   }
   ?>     

The output of this example is:

Currency format

   es_ES   
   Currency Local --> 123.456,00 €   
   Currency International --> 123.456,00 Eur   
      
   nl_NL   
   Currency Local --> 123.456,00 €   
   Currency International --> 123.456,00 Eur   
      
   de_DE   
   Currency Local --> 123.456,00 €   
   Currency International --> 123.456,00 Eur   
      
   fr_FR   
   Currency Local --> 123.456,00 €   
   Currency International --> 123.456,00 Eur   
      
   it_IT   
   Currency Local --> 123.456,00 €   
   Currency International --> 123.456,00 Eur   
      
   en_US   
   Currency Local --> $123,456.00   
   Currency International --> $US 123,456.00

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