[libRETS-users] Decimal Data Types

[Mark Klein]

Librets has no direct support for the RETS datatype DECIMAL. When I  
was consulting for a Board in Southern California, one of our data  
share partners was using that data type and librets couldn't handle  
it. In my case, I needed to handle the MINIMUM and MAXIMUM fields  
within METADATA-TABLE. I added two methods: GetMaximumAsString() and  
GetMinimumAsString() to give me the data as a literal. Since I was  
passing it through to SQL, I relied upon the database to handle any  
conversions if needed. This was fine in my case.

I'd like to do a quick survey if I may, to find out if others are  
using DECIMAL datatypes and how they are handling it. I'd also like  
feedback as to whether you librets users think adding the "AsString"  
methods would be sufficient. I could probably handle this with some  
fancy footwork in C++, but that doesn't necessarily help the other  
languages. So, I'm thinking we need some definitive methods for  
handling this. I don't know if going so far as to add "AsTiny(),  
AsSmall(), AsInt(), AsLong(), AsDecimal() and AsString()" for all the  
appropriate Get() methods is worthwhile, so I'm looking for feedback  
before I implement this.

Thanks!

Regards,


M.


--
Mark Klein
PGP Key Available
www.dis.com