# Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:25:32 +0200

# From: Dirk Zimoch <dirk.zimoch@psi.ch>

# Subject: match() prevents numeric strings from beeing treated numerically

# To: bug-gawk@gnu.org

# Message-id: <488DE4EC.6020400@psi.ch>

# 

# In gawk version 3.1.5, numeric user input that is parsed with match() is not 

# recognized as "numeric string" any more. I.e. mixed string-numeric comparison 

# does not work any more. In version 3.1.1, it worked. (Even though the 

# documentation never explicitly mentioned this behavior for match(), as it does 

# for split(). But is says that "user input" should be treated that way.)

# 

# awk 'BEGIN{match(".5",/.*/,a);print a[0]==.5?"OK":"FAULT"}'

# 

# Version 3.1.1 prints OK, version 3.1.5 prints FAULT.

# 

# awk '{match($0,/.*/,a);print a[0]==a[0]+0?"OK":"FAULT"}' << EOF

# 5

# 5.0

# 0.5

# .5

# EOF

# 

# Version 3.1.1 prints

# OK

# OK

# OK

# OK

# 

# Version 3.1.5 prints

# OK

# FAULT

# OK

# FAULT

# 

# 

# -- 

# Dr. Dirk Zimoch

# Paul Scherrer Institut, WBGB/006

# 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland

# Phone +41 56 310 5182

# 

{

	match($0,/.*/,a)

	print a[0] == a[0]+0 ? "OK" : "FAULT"

}