code: private Integer toNumber(final Object src) {
  
  		if (src instanceof Number) {
  
  			return ((Number)src).intValue();
  		}
  
  		if (src instanceof String) {
  
  			try {
  
  				return Integer.valueOf(src.toString());
  
  			} catch (NumberFormatException nfex) {
  				logger.warn("Error in slice(): Cannot parse number {}.", src);
  			}
  		}
  
  		return null;
  	}
docs: ----- private methods -----