code: public static float[] dashFromString( String dashPattern ) {
          if (dashPattern.trim().length() > 0) {
              String[] split = dashPattern.split(",");
              if (split.length > 1) {
                  float[] dash = new float[split.length];
                  for( int i = 0; i < split.length; i++ ) {
                      try {
                          float tmpDash = Float.parseFloat(split[i].trim());
                          dash[i] = tmpDash;
                      } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
                          // GPLog.error("Style", "Can't convert to dash pattern: " + dashPattern, e);
                          return null;
                      }
                  }
                  return dash;
              }
          }
          return null;
      }
docs: Convert string to dash.
  
  @param dashPattern the string to convert.
  @return the dash array or null, if conversion failed.