# parseNumber

## Category
String

## Arity
**Unary** — `parseNumber <string>`.

```
parseNumber <string>
```

## Description
Parses a string into a number (double). Returns the numeric value on success, or `nil` if the string cannot be parsed as a number.

## How It Works
Calls `double.TryParse()` with invariant culture. Accepts integer and decimal formats (e.g., `"123"`, `"45.67"`, `"-8.5"`). Whitespace is trimmed. If parsing fails completely, returns `nil`.

## Usage

### Basic parsing
```sqf
parseNumber "123";             // 123
parseNumber "45.67";           // 45.67
parseNumber "-8.5";            // -8.5
```

### Failure → nil
```sqf
parseNumber "abc";             // nil
parseNumber "12abc";           // nil (partial not accepted)
parseNumber "";                // nil
```

### Safe parsing with default
```sqf
_val = parseNumber _input;
if (isNil "_val") then {
    _val = 0;                  // default fallback
};
```

### Input validation
```sqf
_isNumeric = !isNil parseNumber _input;
if (!_isNumeric) then {
    systemChat "Please enter a valid number";
};
```

### Config value parsing
```sqf
_configValue = _config get "timeout";   // might be string "30" or number 30
if (typeName _configValue == "string") then {
    _configValue = parseNumber _configValue;
};
```

## Thread Safety
ReadOnly — pure computation. Safe from any scheduler.

## See Also
- [str](str.md) — number to string
- [format](format.md) — formatted output
- [typeName](typeName.md) — check value type