# File die.rb, line 128
   def typecast(x)
        dts = DataTypes.new
				x = '' if not x  # if nil, then empty string
        if valid?(x)
          if @datatype
            if dts.typecasts.has_key?(@datatype)
              return dts.typecasts[@datatype].call(x)
            end
          end
        end
        return x        
			end