Rob van der Woude's Scripting Pages

VBScript Scripting Techniques > Data > Roman Numerals

Convert decimal numbers to Roman Numerals vv.

In this section I'll introduce two code snippets to convert 2007 to MMVII to 2007 again.
Only "basic" VBScript is used, so this code should work in any Windows version, in stand-alone scripts, HTAs, or even ASP.

More information on Roman numerals can be found on WikiPedia.

 

Decimal2Roman
VBScript Code:
Function Decimal2Roman( ByVal intDecimal )
' This Function converts intDecimal to its Roman numeral value.
' Written by: Rob van der Woude, http://www.robvanderwoude.com
'
' intDecimal should be an integer in the range of 1..4999.
'
' For the Roman numeral "modern" notation is used, i.e. 1999
' will be written as MCMXCIX, not MIM.
'
' More information on Roman numerals can be found on WikiPedia:
' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals

    ' Some housekeeping
    Dim strRoman
    strRoman = ""

    ' First, add an "M" for every multiple of 1000
    Do While intDecimal >= 1000
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 1000
        strRoman = strRoman & "M"
    Loop

    ' Next, add "CM" for 900, or "D" for 500, or "CD" for 400
    If intDecimal >= 900 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 900
        strRoman = strRoman & "CM"
    ElseIf intDecimal >= 500 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 500
        strRoman = strRoman & "D"
    ElseIf intDecimal >= 400 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 400
        strRoman = strRoman & "CD"
    End If

    ' Add a "C" for every remaining multiple of 100
    Do While intDecimal >= 100
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 100
        strRoman = strRoman & "C"
    Loop

    ' Add "XC" for 90, or "L" for 50, or "XL" for 40
    If intDecimal >= 90 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 90
        strRoman = strRoman & "XC"
    ElseIf intDecimal >= 50 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 50
        strRoman = strRoman & "L"
    ElseIf intDecimal >= 40 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 40
        strRoman = strRoman & "XL"
    End If

    ' Add an "X" for every remaining multiple of 10
    Do While intDecimal >= 10
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 10
        strRoman = strRoman & "X"
    Loop

    ' Add "IX" for 9, or "V" for 5, or "IV" for 4
    If intDecimal >= 9 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 9
        strRoman = strRoman & "IX"
    ElseIf intDecimal >= 5 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 5
        strRoman = strRoman & "V"
    ElseIf intDecimal >= 4 Then
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 4
        strRoman = strRoman & "IV"
    End If

    ' Finally, add an "I" for every remaining multiple of 1
    Do While intDecimal >= 1
        intDecimal = intDecimal - 1
        strRoman = strRoman & "I"
    Loop
    
    ' Return the result
    Decimal2Roman = strRoman
End Function
Requirements:
Windows version: any
Network: N/A
Client software: N/A
Script Engine: any
Summarized: Works in any Windows version, with any scripting engine.
 
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Roman2Decimal
VBScript Code:
Function Roman2Decimal( ByVal strRoman )
' This Function converts strRoman to its decimal numerical value.
' Written by: Rob van der Woude, http://www.robvanderwoude.com
'
' Roman numerals "old style" will still be converted correctly
' into decimal numbers. However, numerals like "MIIIM" for 1997
' would be invalid in any notation, and consequently will
' return invalid results.
'
' More information on Roman numerals can be found on WikiPedia:
' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals

    ' Some housekeeping
    Dim arrRoman( ), intRoman
    ReDim arrRoman( Len( strRoman ) -1 )
    intRoman = 0

    ' Store each "digit" of the Roman numeral in an array
    For i = 0 To UBound( arrRoman )
        arrRoman( i ) = Mid( strRoman, i + 1, 1 )
    Next

    ' Then convert each "digit" to its numeric value
    For i = 0 To UBound( arrRoman )
        Select Case arrRoman( i )
            Case "M"
                arrRoman( i ) = 1000
            Case "D"
                arrRoman( i ) = 500
            Case "C"
                arrRoman( i ) = 100
            Case "L"
                arrRoman( i ) = 50
            Case "X"
                arrRoman( i ) = 10
            Case "V"
                arrRoman( i ) = 5
            Case "I"
                arrRoman( i ) = 1
        End Select
    Next

    ' Now comes the hard part: for each "digit" decide if it will be
    ' added or subtracted, based on the value of the following "digit"
    For i = 0 To UBound( arrRoman ) - 1
        If     arrRoman( i ) < arrRoman( i + 1 ) Then
            ' E.g. "I" in "IX" (9): subtract 1
            intRoman = intRoman - arrRoman( i )
        ElseIf arrRoman( i ) = arrRoman( i + 1 ) Then
            ' E.g. "I" in "XII" (12), "III" (3) or in "IIX" (ancient notation for 8).
            ' The latter should actually be "VIII" in "modern" roman numerals, but
            ' "IIX" was used in ancient times, so let's just be prepared.
            ' We'll add the value to the next position in the array, so it will be
            ' reevaluated in the next iteration of the loop.
            ' Note: this trick will definitely fail on invalid notations like "IIIX".
            arrRoman( i + 1 ) = arrRoman( i ) + arrRoman( i + 1 )
            arrRoman( i )     = 0
        Else ' arrRoman( i ) > arrRoman( i + 1 )
            ' E.g. "V" in "XV" (15): add 5
            intRoman = intRoman + arrRoman( i )
        End If
    Next

    ' The last "digit" doesn't have a following "digit" so it
    ' can, be added without having to test a following "digit"
    intRoman= intRoman + arrRoman( UBound( arrRoman ) )
    
    ' Return the calculated value
    Roman2Decimal = intRoman
End Function


Sub Syntax( ByVal strErr )
    If strErr <> "" Then
        strMsg = vbCrLf & strErr & vbCrLf & vbCrLf
    Else
        strMsg = vbCrLf
    End If
    strMsg = strMsg _
           & "Romans.vbs,  Version 1.01" & vbCrLf _
           & "Convert between Roman and decimal numerals." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
           & "Usage:  ROMANS.VBS  numeral" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
           & "Where:             ""numeral""  is either a (decimal) integer in the" & vbCrLf _
           & "                              range of 1..4999, or a Roman numeral." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
           & "Notes:  [1] Returned Roman numerals follow ""modern"" conventions," & vbCrLf _
           & "            i.e. 1999 will be written as ""MCMXCIX"" instead of ""MIM""." & vbCrLf _
           & "            However, these Roman numerals ""old style"" will still be" & vbCrLf _
           & "            converted correctly into decimal numbers." & vbCrLf _
           & "            Numerals like ""MIIIM"" for 1997 would be invalid in any" & vbCrLf _
           & "            notation, and consequently will return invalid results." & vbCrLf _
           & "        [2] More information on Roman numerals can be found on WikiPedia:" & vbCrLf _
           & "            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
           & "Written by Rob van der Woude" & vbCrLf _
           & "http://www.robvanderwoude.com"
    WScript.Echo strMsg
    WScript.Quit( 1 )
End Sub
Requirements:
Windows version: any
Network: N/A
Client software: N/A
Script Engine: any
Summarized: Works in any Windows version, with any scripting engine.
 
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page last modified: 2016-09-19; loaded in 0.0022 seconds