Edit report at https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=65485&edit=1

 ID:                 65485
 Comment by:         ni...@php.net
 Reported by:        stephane at it-asia dot com
 Summary:            Cast gives different values in one way or the other
 Status:             Not a bug
 Type:               Bug
 Package:            *General Issues
 Operating System:   Windows 8 & Mint Maya
 PHP Version:        5.4.18
 Block user comment: N
 Private report:     N

 New Comment:

@stephane: Float-to-integer casts are the same across all languages, at least 
as far as I am aware. They are always truncations (i.e. they just take the 
integer portion of the number and drop the rest. For positive numbers 
truncation and floor are the same).

I am sorry if this does not match your expectations, but this is standard 
behavior that everyone uses and we will not deviate from it.

How integer to float casts work is documented here: 
http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.integer.php#language.types.integer.casting

 > When converting from float to integer, the number will be rounded towards 
 > zero.

See also the warning on that page, which deals with exactly your situation.

In your case, what you are probably looking for is just the round() function, 
which will do a round towards the closest integer, rather than a round towards 
zero (truncation).


Previous Comments:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2013-08-20 10:14:59] stephane at it-asia dot com

I don't find sane to see a 3948 float value going to 3947 after an int casting, 
I really, really don't find it sane.

I don't find sane as well to see the same number ending with different value 
after several casts. The cast doesn't provide the same precision when it is one 
case, ot the other. One uses floor(), when the other uses (round). And to be 
honest, one is obviously right, when the other is obviously wrong. 

Please provide examples where the float -> string -> int value doesn't give 
satisfaction. 

Because for me, the float -> int cast NEVER gives satisfaction when there's a 
decimal number involved.

The right way is the way giving the right solution, It is not the one giving 
the wrong answer for the only pleasure to match impossibility theory.

In every case, please add to the documentation that the float -> int cast gives 
stupid results because ti tends to respect a theoric lack orp precision, when 
the float -> string cast tends to provide a more acceptable answer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2013-08-20 09:53:17] ni...@php.net

I think you misunderstood how the casts work:

An (int) cast rounds DOWN to the nearest integer (in all sane languages).

A (string) cast just converts the float to a string representation. This 
representation has the precision specified with the "precision" ini setting.

So what you are comparing here is a down-round ( floor($f) ) with a 
round-with-precision ( round($f, $prec) ). Of course the result will be 
different.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2013-08-20 09:46:50] stephane at it-asia dot com

Yes I know about the imprecision and the link, this is what you say all the 
time here.

But if you THINK about the matter, the casting algorythm is different, and this 
is WRONG.

Other languages found solutions for that. I can't believe in 2013 PHP still 
cannot provide a reliable solution to make simple operation like 
"multiplications" and int casting.

The cast algorythm for float -> string -> int is GOOD. It is ALL THE TIME.

The cast algorythm for float -> int is WRONG. It is ALL THE TIME.

Please implement the same solution in both sides, hence choose the good one.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2013-08-20 09:02:04] johan...@php.net

Floating point values have a limited precision. Hence a value might 
not have the same string representation after any processing. That also
includes writing a floating point value in your script and directly 
printing it without any mathematical operations.

If you would like to know more about "floats" and what IEEE
754 is, read this:
http://www.floating-point-gui.de/

Thank you for your interest in PHP.

Casting to string will be imprecise, then doing cast to int will be imprecise 
again. Two imprecisions increase the difference.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2013-08-20 08:50:20] stephane at it-asia dot com

Description:
------------
I have different value when I cast a double to int and when I cast to string 
before casting to int.

I understand 39.48 is difficult to store in base 2.

The problem is the cast algorythm is not the same if you cast a float to int or 
if you cast a float to string, This involves huges mistakes in accountancy 
software. Whatever the way you choose (float -> int or float -> string -> int ) 
, you should have the same result at the end.

Please define the right way to process data in that case.

I have the same problem with almost every machines, Windows or Debian based.

Thanks !

Test script:
---------------
$d = "39.48" * "100";
print("39.48 * 100 : ");
var_dump ($d);

$i = (int) $d;
print("<br />int:  ");
var_dump ($i);

$s = (string) $d;
print("<br />string:  ");
var_dump ($s);

$i = (int) $s;
print("<br />int:  ");
var_dump ($i);

Expected result:
----------------
same value if you cast double => int and if you cast double => string => int

Actual result:
--------------
39.48 * 100 : double(3948)
int:  int(3947)
string:  string(4) "3948"
int:  int(3948)


------------------------------------------------------------------------



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