From: Grant Edwards on
On 2010-02-10, ssteinerX(a)gmail.com <ssteinerx(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 10, 2010, at 2:57 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
>
>> On 2010-02-10, python(a)bdurham.com <python(a)bdurham.com> wrote:
>>
>> [regardning "picture" output format specifiers]
>>
>>> I was thinking that there was a built-in function for this
>>> common(?) use case
>>
>> I haven't seen that paradigm since my one-and-only exposure to
>> COBOL in a class I took back in 1979. Is the "picture" thing
>> commonly used in other places than COBOL?
>
> Seriously?

Seriously.

> I've seen it in dozens places other than COBOL over the years
> in everything from templating languages to report generators,
> to built-in support in a variety of languages (dBASE II
> anyone?).
>
> Haven't you ever had to get a e.g. a phone number or social
> security number from user input?

Nope. I guess it's specific to certain application areas. I've
never done any database type stuff. I do mostly embedded,
device drivers, networking/protocols, industrial automation,
Unix system admin/automation, and scientific visualization.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! I once decorated my
at apartment entirely in ten
visi.com foot salad forks!!
From: ssteinerX on

On Feb 10, 2010, at 3:40 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:

> On 2010-02-10, ssteinerX(a)gmail.com <ssteinerx(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Feb 10, 2010, at 2:57 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
>>
>>> On 2010-02-10, python(a)bdurham.com <python(a)bdurham.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> [regardning "picture" output format specifiers]
>>>
>>>> I was thinking that there was a built-in function for this
>>>> common(?) use case
>>>
>>> I haven't seen that paradigm since my one-and-only exposure to
>>> COBOL in a class I took back in 1979. Is the "picture" thing
>>> commonly used in other places than COBOL?
>>
>> Seriously?
>
> Seriously.
>
>> I've seen it in dozens places other than COBOL over the years
>> in everything from templating languages to report generators,
>> to built-in support in a variety of languages (dBASE II
>> anyone?).
>>
>> Haven't you ever had to get a e.g. a phone number or social
>> security number from user input?
>
> Nope. I guess it's specific to certain application areas. I've
> never done any database type stuff. I do mostly embedded,
> device drivers, networking/protocols, industrial automation,
> Unix system admin/automation, and scientific visualization.

Yah, I've hardly ever had to get SSN input from users in a device driver ;-).

That's what makes groups like this go 'round; we have all done different types of things which gives us all different perspectives.

S

From: John Posner on
On 2/10/2010 2:57 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2010-02-10, python(a)bdurham.com<python(a)bdurham.com> wrote:
>
> [regardning "picture" output format specifiers]
>
>> I was thinking that there was a built-in function for this
>> common(?) use case
>
> I haven't seen that paradigm since my one-and-only exposure to
> COBOL in a class I took back in 1979. Is the "picture" thing
> commonly used in other places than COBOL?
>

FWIW, Microsoft Excel supports "Custom" numeric cell formats that use a
PICTURE-like syntax.

-John