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PRB: Parseint Returns 0 for Some Strings with Leading Zeros

Article ID: 191434 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q191434

SYMPTOMS

When a string value that contains leading zeros is passed to the parseInt() JScript function, parseInt will return 0 for "08" and "09".

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CAUSE

In JavaScript placing a leading 0 in front of a number designates that number as octal. In octal, there is no 08 or 09. Therefore, these numbers are interpreted as 0.

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STATUS

This behavior is by design.

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The following Web page demonstrates this problem. This Web page contains a text box. When focus is shifted away from the edit box by pressing the TAB key, the parseInt() function is called with the value that was entered into the text box. The value returned from parseInt() is then displayed in an alert box. If you enter "08" or "09" into the text box, parseInt() returns a value of 0.

<HTML>
<HEAD>
   <TITLE>Problem with parseInt</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
   <INPUT TYPE=TEXT name="TXT1">
   <SCRIPT FOR="TXT1" EVENT=onchange>
      var val = parseInt(TXT1.value);
      alert(val);
   </SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

The following JScript code demonstrates the workaround for this problem.

<HTML>
<HEAD>
   <TITLE>THEAD</TITLE>

   <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JScript">
      function parseVal(val)
      {
         while (val.charAt(0) == '0')
            val = val.substring(1, val.length);

         return val;
      }
   </SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
   <INPUT TYPE=TEXT name="TXT1">
   <SCRIPT FOR="TXT1" EVENT=onchange>
      var val = parseVal(TXT1.value);
      alert(val);
   </SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

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Properties

Article ID: 191434 - Last Review: March 3, 2005 - Revision: 2.1

APPLIES TO

Microsoft JScript 3.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1

kbpending kbprb kbscript KB191434

Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

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