Ordinal Numbers

Below are two similar techniques for generating ordinal numbers such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, from simple integers such as 1, 2, 3 respectively. I needed this for a fairly complex user interface where I wanted to setup a tool tip that said 'Select 1st choice:', 'Select 2nd choice', etc.

Below are both a method and a function. You only need one, not both. All that differs is how you call them. The documentation in both show the differences in sample uses.

Number.prototype.ordinal = function () {

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- O R D I N A L

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Generic: Yes, for ECMAScript, ExtendScript, and JavaScript

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Purpose: To take a number and return a string with that number

//-- converted to an ordinal number. Thus 1 becomes 1st. 2 becomes 2nd.

//-- 3 becomes 3rd. 12 becomes 12th.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Arguments: none, this is a method.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Calls: Nothing.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Returns: a string with an ordinal version of the number unless the

//-- original number is not deemed to be an integer.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Sample Uses:

//-- Number(13).ordinal() ;

//-- for ( i = 0 ; 100 >= i ; i++ ) {

//-- $.writeln( i.ordinal() );

//-- }

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Notes: Tested for 0 through 200.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Modified: 2009.09.07 by Jon S. Winters of electronic publishing support

//-- original, undocumented concept un acknowledged but listed at:

//-- "http://querylog.com/q/javascript+string+ordinal"

//-- eps@electronicpublishingsupport.com

//-- For additional information on cardinal numbers, check out:

//-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_numbers_in_English#Ordinal_numbers

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Start by varifying that the orginal is an integer

var asInt = parseInt ( this ) ;

if ( isNaN ( asInt ) ) { return this ; }

//-- Make a string version of the text to allow regular expression

//-- matching for the numbers.

var asString = this.toString();

//-- Do a series of if statements to concatinate the appropriate

//-- suffix to the number. All 1, 2, 3 except for 11, 12, 13

//-- have common suffixs. All others are th's.

//-- Check for items ending with 1 except for 11 and add st

if ( asInt == 1 || asString.match( new RegExp ( '[^1]1$' ) ) ) return asInt + 'st' ;

//-- Check for items ending with 2 except for 12 and add nd

if ( asInt == 2 || asString.match( new RegExp ( '[^1]2$' ) ) ) return asInt + 'nd' ;

//-- Check for items ending with 3 except for 13 and add rd

if ( asInt == 3 || asString.match( new RegExp ( '[^1]3$' ) ) ) return asInt + 'rd' ;

//-- All but these end with th. This includes 0.

return asInt + 'th';

}

function ordinal ( value ) {

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- O R D I N A L

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Generic: Yes, for ECMAScript, ExtendScript, and JavaScript

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Purpose: To take a number and return a string with that number

//-- converted to an ordinal number. Thus 1 becomes 1st. 2 becomes 2nd.

//-- 3 becomes 3rd. 12 becomes 12th.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Arguments: one, the numberical value. This should be an integer.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Calls: Nothing.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Returns: a string with an ordinal version of the number unless the

//-- original number is not deemed to be an integer.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Sample Use: ordinal(13)

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Notes: Tested for 0 through 200.

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Modified: 2009.09.07 by Jon S. Winters of electronic publishing support

//-- original, undocumented concept un acknowledged but listed at:

//-- "http://querylog.com/q/javascript+string+ordinal"

//-- eps@electronicpublishingsupport.com

//-- For additional information on cardinal numbers, check out:

//-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_numbers_in_English#Ordinal_numbers

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------

//-- Start by varifying that the orginal is an integer

//-- return the original value if it is not

var asInt = parseInt ( value ) ;

if ( isNaN ( asInt ) ) { return value ; }

//-- Make a string version of the text to allow regular expression

//-- matching for the numbers.

var asString = value.toString();

//-- Do a series of if statements to concatinate the appropriate

//-- suffix to the number. All 1, 2, 3 except for 11, 12, 13

//-- have common suffixs. All others are th's.

//-- Check for items ending with 1 except for 11 and add st

if ( asInt == 1 || asString.match( new RegExp ( '[^1]1$' ) ) ) return asInt + 'st' ;

//-- Check for items ending with 2 except for 12 and add nd

if ( asInt == 2 || asString.match( new RegExp ( '[^1]2$' ) ) ) return asInt + 'nd' ;

//-- Check for items ending with 3 except for 13 and add rd

if ( asInt == 3 || asString.match( new RegExp ( '[^1]3$' ) ) ) return asInt + 'rd' ;

//-- All but these end with th. This includes 0.

return asInt + 'th';

}