See also isnum.bash (http://www.opensource.apple.com/source/bash/bash-86.1/bash-3.2/examples/functions/isnum.bash) for a few bash functions to test for numeric and sub-set integer.
OK, this explains at least some of the missing parts. You still haven't said which data types you expect and how they look like. In fact this is the first thing you should do: ask yourself what a...