Name: boT120536			Date: 12/05/2000


java version "1.3.0"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.3.0-C)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.3.0-C, mixed mode)

The spec for DecimalFormat says that the negative subpattern is only used to
determine the prefix and suffix for negative numbers:

> That means that "#,##0.0#;(#)" produces precisely the same
> behavior as "#,##0.0#;(#,##0.0#)".

However, if you actually try this example, the negative suffix gets lost unless
the two subpatterns match.

import java.text.*;
public class PatternTest
{
	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		DecimalFormat df = new DecimalFormat("#,##0.0#;(#,##0.0#)");
		System.out.println(df.toPattern());
		System.out.println(df.format(-1.5));
		
		DecimalFormat df2 = new DecimalFormat("#,##0.0#;(#)" );
		System.out.println(df2.toPattern());
		System.out.println(df2.format(-1.5));
	}
}

Output:
#,##0.0#;(#,##0.0#)
(1.5)
#,##0.0#;(#,##0.0#
(1.5
(Review ID: 108474) 
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