NUMBER FORMATTING FRAMEWORK

A method and system for formatting numerical information. An object-based operating system provides various number formatting services. Some objects scan text and convert the text to numerical information, and convert non-text numerical information to text, and convert between different numerical formats and languages. The system provides a common ground from which application programs can speak a seemingly common numerical language without specifying the details of converting numerical information between systems of representation. The present system relieves application developers of the burden of handling details of numerical information, and provides ease of information transfer between monetary systems and cultures having differing languages. The system also provides for conversion between number formats to allow for easier processing and/or comprehension of the numerical information, and normalization and alignment of any textual representation of numeric information.