C Library -

The locale.h header defines the location specific settings, such as date formats and currency symbols. You will find several macros defined along with an important structure struct lconv and two important functions listed below.

Library Macros

Following are the macros defined in the header and these macros will be used in two functions listed below −

S.N.	Macro & Description
1	LC_ALL Sets everything.
2	LC_COLLATE Affects strcoll and strxfrm functions.
3	LC_CTYPE Affects all character functions.
4	LC_MONETARY Affects the monetary information provided by localeconv function.
5	LC_NUMERIC Affects decimal-point formatting and the information provided by localeconv function.
6	LC_TIME Affects the strftime function.

Library Functions

Following are the functions defined in the header locale.h −

S.N.	Function & Description
1	char *setlocale(int category, const char *locale) Sets or reads location dependent information.
2	struct lconv *localeconv(void) Sets or reads location dependent information.

Library Structure

typedef struct {
   char *decimal_point;
   char *thousands_sep;
   char *grouping; 
   char *int_curr_symbol;
   char *currency_symbol;
   char *mon_decimal_point;
   char *mon_thousands_sep;
   char *mon_grouping;
   char *positive_sign;
   char *negative_sign;
   char int_frac_digits;
   char frac_digits;
   char p_cs_precedes;
   char p_sep_by_space;
   char n_cs_precedes;
   char n_sep_by_space;
   char p_sign_posn;
   char n_sign_posn;
} lconv

Following is the description of each of the fields −

S.N.	Field & Description
1	decimal_point Decimal point character used for non-monetary values.
2	thousands_sep Thousands place separator character used for non-monetary values.
3	grouping A string that indicates the size of each group of digits in non-monetary quantities. Each character represents an integer value, which designates the number of digits in the current group. A value of 0 means that the previous value is to be used for the rest of the groups.
4	int_curr_symbol It is a string of the international currency symbols used. The first three characters are those specified by ISO 4217:1987 and the fourth is the character, which separates the currency symbol from the monetary quantity.
5	currency_symbol The local symbol used for currency.
6	mon_decimal_point The decimal point character used for monetary values.
7	mon_thousands_sep The thousands place grouping character used for monetary values.
8	mon_grouping A string whose elements defines the size of the grouping of digits in monetary values. Each character represents an integer value which designates the number of digits in the current group. A value of 0 means that the previous value is to be used for the rest of the groups.
9	positive_sign The character used for positive monetary values.
10	negative_sign The character used for negative monetary values.
11	int_frac_digits Number of digits to show after the decimal point in international monetary values.
12	frac_digits Number of digits to show after the decimal point in monetary values.
13	p_cs_precedes If equals to 1, then the currency_symbol appears before a positive monetary value. If equals to 0, then the currency_symbol appears after a positive monetary value.
14	p_sep_by_space If equals to 1, then the currency_symbol is separated by a space from a positive monetary value. If equals to 0, then there is no space between the currency_symbol and a positive monetary value.
15	n_cs_precedes If equals to 1, then the currency_symbol precedes a negative monetary value. If equals to 0, then the currency_symbol succeeds a negative monetary value.
16	n_sep_by_space If equals to 1, then the currency_symbol is separated by a space from a negative monetary value. If equals to 0, then there is no space between the currency_symbol and a negative monetary value.
17	p_sign_posn Represents the position of the positive_sign in a positive monetary value.
18	n_sign_posn Represents the position of the negative_sign in a negative monetary value.

The following values are used for p_sign_posn and n_sign_posn −

Value	Description
0	Parentheses encapsulates the value and the currency_symbol.
1	The sign precedes the value and currency_symbol.
2	The sign succeeds the value and currency_symbol.
3	The sign immediately precedes the value and currency_symbol.
4	The sign immediately succeeds the value and currency_symbol.