Type coercion

Modified on Thu, 30 May at 10:00 AM

This document describes how Make behaves in situations when it receives values in expected and unexpected data formats.

When array is expected:

Received	Description
array	The value is handed over unchanged.
other	If the received value is not of the array type, Make will create an array and the first (and the only) element will be the received value.

When Boolean is expected:

Received	Description
boolean	The value is handed over unchanged.
number	The value is converted to logical `Yes`, even if the value is `0`
text	If the value is equal to `false` or the value is empty, it is converted to logical `No`. If not, it is converted to logical `Yes`
other	The value is converted to logical `Yes` whenever the received value exists (is not `null`).

When Buffer is expected:

Received	Description
buffer	The value is handed over unchanged only if the codepage is as expected. If the `codepage` differs, Make will try to convert the received value to the requested `codepage`. If this conversion is not supported, Make will return a validation error.
boolean	The value is converted to text (`true`/`false`) and then to binary data following the steps mentioned above for converting to text.
date	The value is converted to ISO 8601 text and then to binary data following the steps mentioned for converting to text.
number	The value is converted to text and then to binary data following the steps mentioned above for converting to text.
text	The value is converted to binary data and encoded as expected. If the expected encoding is not specified, `utf8` encoding will be used.
other	Make returns a validation error.

When Collection is expected:

Received	Description
collection	The value is handed over unchanged.
other	Make returns a validation error.

When Date is expected:

Received	Description
date	The value is handed over unchanged.
text	Make will try to convert the text to a date. If the conversion fails, it will return a validation error. Date must contain day, month and year. Date may contain time and time zone. Default time zone is based on your settings. See these examples.
number	Make will treat the number as milliseconds since Jan 01 1970 (UTC) and convert it to a corresponding date.
other	Make returns a validation error.

When Number is expected:

Received	Description
number	The value is handed over unchanged.
text	Make will try to convert the text to a number. If the conversion fails, it will return a validation error.
other	Make returns a validation error.

When Text is expected:

Received	Description
text	The value is handed over unchanged.
array	If the given array supports conversion to text, the value will be converted. If not, Make will return a validation error.
boolean	The value is converted to text (`true`/`false`).
buffer	If text encoding is specified for binary data, the value will be converted to text. If not, Make will return a validation error
date	The value is converted to ISO 8601 text.
number	The value is converted to text.
other	Make returns a validation error.

When Time is expected:

Received	Description
time	The value is handed over unchanged.
text	Make will try to convert time to the hours:minutes:seconds format. If the conversion fails, it will return a validation error.
other	Make returns a validation error.