code: public static Float parseFloat(final String str) {
          if (null != str) {
              try {
                  return new Float(Float.parseFloat(str.trim()));
              } catch (final Exception e) {
                  // :IGNORE:
              }
          }
          return null;
      }
docs: Parse a Float from a String without exceptions. If the String is not a Float then null is
  returned
  
  @param str the String to parse
  @return The Float represented by the String, or null if it could not be parsed.