public static function PARSE_QUANTITATIVE_VALUE($value)
	{
		// extract multiplier
		$multiplier = static::FIND_MULTIPLIER($value);
		
		// sutbstitute 'to' with a two dots
		$value = preg_replace('/to/', '..', $value); 
		
		// remove any characther that is not a digit nor + - < >
		$value = preg_replace('/[^+\.\-<>\d]/', '', $value); 
		
		// match  ranges
		if (preg_match('/(-?\d+\.?\d*)(-|\.\.)(-?\d+\.?\d*)/', $value, $matches)){
			//------------------ matches "123-456" or "-12.3-14.5" or "4 to 5" or "from -4 to 5" or "1..10"
			$minValue =  $matches[1]*$multiplier;
			$maxValue =  $matches[3]*$multiplier;
		} elseif (preg_match('/^(-?\d+\.?\d*)$/', $value, $matches)) {
			//----------------- matches s single value decimal or float
			$minValue =  $maxValue = $matches[1]*$multiplier;
		} elseif(preg_match('/^>(-?\d+\.?\d*)/', $value, $matches) || preg_match('/^(-?\d+\.?\d*)\+$/', $value, $matches)) {
			// matches strings like "100 +" or ">100"	
			$minValue =  $matches[1]*$multiplier;
			$maxValue =  PHP_INT_MAX;
		} elseif(preg_match('/^<(-?\d+\.?\d*)-?/', $value, $matches) ) {
			//----------------  matches the strings like  "<100"  and "100 -"
			$minValue =  -PHP_INT_MAX;
			$maxValue =  $matches[1]*$multiplier;
		} else {
			$minValue =  $maxValue = null;			
		}
	
		return (!is_null($minValue) && !is_null($maxValue) && ($minValue<=$maxValue))?array($minValue,$maxValue):false;
	}
public static function PARSE_QUANTITATIVE_VALUE($value)
	{
		// extract multiplier
		$multiplier = static::FIND_MULTIPLIER($value);
		
		// sutbstitute 'to' with a two dots
		$value = preg_replace('/to/', '..', $value); 
		
		// remove any characther that is not a digit nor + - < >
		$value = preg_replace('/[^+\.\-<>\d]/', '', $value); 
		
		// match  ranges
		if (preg_match('/(-?\d+\.?\d*)(-|\.\.)(-?\d+\.?\d*)/', $value, $matches)){
			//------------------ matches "123-456" or "-12.3-14.5" or "4 to 5" or "from -4 to 5" or "1..10"
			$minValue =  $matches[1]*$multiplier;
			$maxValue =  $matches[3]*$multiplier;
		} elseif (preg_match('/^(-?\d+\.?\d*)$/', $value, $matches)) {
			//----------------- matches s single value decimal or float
			$minValue =  $maxValue = $matches[1]*$multiplier;
		} elseif(preg_match('/^>(-?\d+\.?\d*)/', $value, $matches) || preg_match('/^(-?\d+\.?\d*)\+$/', $value, $matches)) {
			// matches strings like "100 +" or ">100"	
			$minValue =  $matches[1]*$multiplier;
			$maxValue =  PHP_INT_MAX;
		} elseif(preg_match('/^<(-?\d+\.?\d*)-?/', $value, $matches) ) {
			//----------------  matches the strings like  "<100"  and "100 -"
			$minValue =  -PHP_INT_MAX;
			$maxValue =  $matches[1]*$multiplier;
		} else {
			$minValue =  $maxValue = null;			
		}
	
		return (!is_null($minValue) && !is_null($maxValue) && ($minValue<=$maxValue))?array($minValue,$maxValue):false;
	}
public static function PARSE_QUANTITATIVE_VALUE ( $ value ) { // extract multiplier $ multiplier = static :: FIND_MULTIPLIER ( $ value ) ; // sutbstitute 'to' with a two dots $ value = preg_replace ( '/to/' , '..' , $ value ) ; // remove any characther that is not a digit nor + - < > $ value = preg_replace ( '/[^+\.\-<>\d]/' , '' , $ value ) ; // match  ranges if ( preg_match ( '/(-?\d+\.?\d*)(-|\.\.)(-?\d+\.?\d*)/' , $ value , $ matches ) ) { //------------------ matches "123-456" or "-12.3-14.5" or "4 to 5" or "from -4 to 5" or "1..10" $ minValue = $ matches [ 1 ] * $ multiplier ; $ maxValue = $ matches [ 3 ] * $ multiplier ; } elseif ( preg_match ( '/^(-?\d+\.?\d*)$/' , $ value , $ matches ) ) { //----------------- matches s single value decimal or float $ minValue = $ maxValue = $ matches [ 1 ] * $ multiplier ; } elseif ( preg_match ( '/^>(-?\d+\.?\d*)/' , $ value , $ matches ) || preg_match ( '/^(-?\d+\.?\d*)\+$/' , $ value , $ matches ) ) { // matches strings like "100 +" or ">100"	 $ minValue = $ matches [ 1 ] * $ multiplier ; $ maxValue = PHP_INT_MAX ; } elseif ( preg_match ( '/^<(-?\d+\.?\d*)-?/' , $ value , $ matches ) ) { //----------------  matches the strings like  "<100"  and "100 -" $ minValue = - PHP_INT_MAX ; $ maxValue = $ matches [ 1 ] * $ multiplier ; } else { $ minValue = $ maxValue = null ; } return ( ! is_null ( $ minValue ) && ! is_null ( $ maxValue ) && ( $ minValue <= $ maxValue ) ) ? array ( $ minValue , $ maxValue ) : false ; }
Parse a range string an returns mi and max values
if max is not specified max= PHP_INT_MAX
if min is not specified min= -PHP_INT_MAX

@return array | false
Parse a range string an returns mi and max values if max is not specified max = PHP_INT_MAX if min is not specified min = - PHP_INT_MAX