# Convert string to numerical value¶

This article explains how to convert a string representation of a number to a numerical value.

If a number may be stored in a string parameter or an element in AIMMS, you can’t operate on the numerical value it represents. You can use the AIMMS intrinsic function val.

The example illustrates how to use the val function:

mySet := { '3' , 'a' } ;
myStringParameter := "5" ;

myParameter := val(myStringParameter) ;
!This will result in a dialog stating the value of the parameter is 5
DialogMessage("Value of myParameter = " + myParameter) ;

!Set the element parameter to the first element of the set (i.e. '3')
myElementParameter := first(mySet) ;
myParameter := val(myElementParameter) ;
!This will result in a dialog stating the value of the parameter is 3
DialogMessage("Value of myParameter = " + myParameter) ;

!Set the element parameter to the last element of the set (i.e. 'a')
myElementParameter := last(mySet) ;
!The following statement will now result in an error that the value
!of 'a' can't be computed
myParameter := val(myElementParameter) ;


To ensure the execution is not halted when the string or element you are trying to convert does not represent a number (like the last case in the above example), you can use error handling functions.

Note that if you make your set a subset of the predefined set Integers you don’t have to use the val function for conversion, but you can directly use an index or an element parameter of this set as a number.