@@ -51,10 +51,18 @@
 
 ;; if a value is printable (i.e. string or number) return the value
 ;; else return an empty string
 (define-inline (printable val)
   (if (or (number? val)(string? val)) val ""))
+
+;; convert stuff to a number if possible
+(define (any->number val)
+  (cond 
+   ((number? val) val)
+   ((string? val) (string->number val))
+   ((symbol? val) (any->number (symbol->string val)))
+   (else #f)))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; System stuff
 ;;======================================================================