Java tutorial
//package com.java2s; //License from project: Open Source License import java.util.HashMap; public class Main { public static float asFloat(Object value) { return asFloat(value, 0f); } public static float asFloat(Object value, float def) { if (value instanceof Number) { return ((Number) value).floatValue(); } else { try { return Float.valueOf(value.toString()); } catch (NumberFormatException ex) { return def; } } } public static float asFloat(Object node, String key) { return asFloat(node, key, 0f); } public static float asFloat(Object node, String key, float def) { Object value; if ((node instanceof HashMap<?, ?>) && ((value = ((HashMap<?, ?>) node).get(key)) != null)) { if (value instanceof Number) { return ((Number) value).floatValue(); } else { try { return Float.valueOf(value.toString()); } catch (NumberFormatException ex) { return def; } } } else { return def; } } }