Gambas/functions/Format

Usage

String = Format$ ( Expression [ , Format ] )
String = Format ( Expression [ , Format ] )

• See also:
  • String = CStr(expression) - converts expression to a string in the default format

Action

Converts an expression to a string based on the given format. The format may be either user-defined or one of several pre-defined formats. If format is not specified, gb.Standard is used (see #general).

• Localization settings may affect the output of this function.

User-Defined Formats

numeric

+	Prints the sign of the number.
-	Prints the sign of the number only if it is negative.
#	Prints a digit only if necessary.
0	Always prints a digit, padding with a zero if necessary.
.	Prints the decimal separator.
,	Prints the thousand separators.
%	Multiplies the number by 100 and prints a per-cent sign.
E	Introduces the exponential part of a Float number. The sign of the exponent is always printed.

Examples

PRINT Format$(Pi, "-#.###")	3.142
PRINT Format$(Pi, "+0#.###0")	+03.1416
PRINT Format$(Pi / 10, "###.# %")	31.4 %
PRINT Format$(-11 ^ 11, "#.##E##")	-2.85E+11

currency

$	Prints the national currency symbol.
$$	When the $ is doubled, the international currency symbol is printed instead.
( f )	Designates the representation of negative currencies, where f is the format specifier

Examples

PRINT Format$(1972.06, "$#.###")	$1972.06
PRINT Format$(-1972.06, "$,#.###")	-$1,972.06
PRINT Format$(-1972.06, "($,#.###)")	($1,972.06)

dates

yy	Prints the year on two digits.
yyyy	Prints the year on four digits.
m	Prints the month.
mm	Prints the month on two digits.
mmm	Prints the month in an abbreviatted string form.
mmmm	Prints the month in its full string form.
d	Prints the day.
dd	Prints the day on two digits.
ddd	Prints the week day in an abbreviated form.
dddd	Prints the week day in its full form.
/	Prints the date separator.
h	Prints the hour.
hh	Prints the hour on two digits.
n	Prints the minutes.
nn	Prints the minutes on two digits.
s	Prints the seconds.
ss	Prints the seconds on two digits.
:	Prints the time separator.

Examples

PRINT Format$(Now, "mm/dd/yyyy hh:nn:ss")	04/15/2002 09:05:36
PRINT Format$(Now, "m/d/yy h:n:s")	4/15/02 9:5:36
PRINT Format$(Now, "ddd dd mmm yyyy")	Mon Apr 15 2002
PRINT Format$(Now, "dddd dd mmmm yyyy")	Monday April 15 2002

Pre-Defined Formats

Numeric

gb.GeneralNumber	Use twelve decimal digits, or scientific format if the absolute value is lower than 10Template:exp or greater than 10Template:exp.
gb.Fixed	Equivalent to "0.00"
gb.Percent	Equivalent to "###%"
gb.Scientific	Use an exponent and eighteen decimal digits.

date and time

gb.GeneralDate	Write a date only if the date and time value has a date part, and write a time only if it has a date part.
gb.LongDate	Long date format.
gb.MediumDate	Medium date format.
gb.ShortDate	Short date format.
gb.LongTime	Long time format.
gb.MediumTime	Medium time format.
gb.ShortTime	Short time format.

currency

gb.Currency	Format a currency by using the national currency symbol.
gb.International	Format a currency by using the international currency symbol.

general

Use gb.GeneralNumber for formatting numbers and gb.GeneralDate for formatting dates and times.

Source

• Much of this text has been copied from here, which is presumed to be available under a GNU-compatible license.