docs: public static Short stringToShort(String strString) throws Exception
      {
          Number objData;
          initGlobals();      // Make sure you have the utilities
          if ((strString == null) || (strString.equals(Constant.BLANK)))
              return null;
          strString = DataConverters.stripNonNumber(strString);
          try   {
              synchronized (gIntegerFormat)
              {
                  objData = gIntegerFormat.parse(strString);
              }
              if (!(objData instanceof Short))
              {
                  if (objData instanceof Number)
                      objData = new Short(objData.shortValue());
                  else
                      objData = null;
              }
          } catch (ParseException ex)   {
              objData = null;
          }
          if (objData == null)
          {
              try   {
                  objData = new Short(strString);
              } catch (NumberFormatException ex)  {
                  throw ex;
              }
          }
          return (Short)objData;
      }