format: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 16:18, 3 November 2024

1.00

1.50

1.00

0.50

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Description

Description:: Composes a string containing other variables or other variable types. Converts any variable type to a string. If you want to convert a string back to a number, use parseNumber.
⚠
The output of this command is limited to ~8Kb. joinString on the other hand doesn't have such limit and is a bit faster.

ⓘ
Since 2.20 the maximum length of the string is 8388608 characters. Additionally, two consecutive percent symbols will be formatted to a single percent symbol in the final string (%% -> %)
Groups:: Strings

Syntax

Syntax:: format [formatString, var1, var2, ...]
Parameters:: formatString: String - a string containing text and/or references to the variables listed below in the array. The references appear in the form of %1, %2 etc.
: varN: Anything - variable referenced by %N
Return Value:: String - the full string (up to 8kb, see above) is returned.

Examples

Example 1:: format ["Player:%1, player's side:%2", player, side player]; // returns "Player:WEST 1-1-A:1 (Username), player's side:WEST"
Example 2:: player addEventHandler ["HandleDamage", { hint format ["You just sustained %1%2 damage!", ceil ((_this select 2) * 100), "%"]; }]; // Shows "You just sustained 20% damage!"
Example 3:: // Since Arma 3 v2.18 two consecutive percent symbols will be formatted to a single percent symbol in the final string (%% -> %) player addEventHandler ["HandleDamage", { hint format ["You just sustained %1%% damage!", ceil ((_this select 2) * 100)]; }]; // Shows "You just sustained 20% damage!"

Additional Information

See also:: formatText endl str toString joinString

Notes

: Report bugs on the Feedback Tracker and/or discuss them on the Arma Discord or on the Forums.
Only post proven facts here! Add Note

Worldeater - c: Posted on Mar 02, 2009 - 15:12 (UTC)
: 1.00

The maximum number of characters returned by the format command seems to depend on the total byte count. For plain ASCII strings the limit is 2048 characters.

Heeeere's Johnny! - c: Posted on Mar 28, 2015 - 09:22 (UTC)
: In addition to the note above, formatTexted strings are Structured Text, hence cannot be used like formatted strings (with most scripting commands). A workaround to get strings of type String with more than 8191 characters is:
str formatText ["%1", _string]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Category:Scripting Commands|F]]
+{{RV|type=command
-[[Category:Scripting Commands OFP 1.97|F]]
-[[Category:Scripting Commands OFP 1.46|F]]
-[[Category:Scripting Commands ArmA|F]]
-back to [[Scripting_Reference#F|COMREF]]
+|game1= ofp
+|version1= 1.00
-<h2 style="color:#000066">'''format ''format'''''</h2>
+|game2= ofpe
+|version2= 1.00
+|game3= arma1
+|version3= 1.00
-'''Operand types:'''
+|game4= arma2
+|version4= 1.00
-'''format:''' [[Array]]
+|game5= arma2oa
+|version5= 1.50
-'''Type of returned value:'''
+|game6= tkoh
+|version6= 1.00
-[[String]]
+|game7= arma3
+|version7= 0.50
-'''Description:'''
+|gr1= Strings
-First argument of array is the format string.
+|descr= Composes a string containing other variables or other variable types. Converts any variable type to a string. If you want to convert a string back to a number, use [[parseNumber]].
+{{Feature | important | The output of this command is limited to ~8Kb. [[joinString]] on the other hand doesn't have such limit and is a bit faster.}}
-Format string may contain references to following arguments in form '''%1''', '''%2''', etc.
+{{Feature|informative|Since {{GVI|arma3|2.20}} the maximum length of the string is {{hl|8388608}} characters. Additionally, two consecutive percent symbols will be formatted to a single percent symbol in the final string {{hl|(%% -> %)}}}}
-Each '''%x''' is replaced by the corresponding argument.
+|s1= [[format]] [formatString, var1, var2, ...]
-'''%x''' may appear in the format string in any order.
+|p1= formatString: [[String]] - a string containing text and/or references to the variables listed below in the array. The references appear in the form of %1, %2 etc.
+|p2= varN: [[Anything]] - variable referenced by %N
-'''Examples:'''
+|r1= [[String]] - the full string (up to 8kb, see above) is returned.
-'''format''' ["'''%1''' - '''%2''' - '''%1'''", 1, "text"] ...... Result is "1 - text - 1"
+|x1= <sqf>format ["Player:%1, player's side:%2", player, side player]; // returns "Player:WEST 1-1-A:1 (Username), player's side:WEST"</sqf>
-[[hint]] '''format''' ["'''%1'''", loon1 [[distance]] Tank1]
+|x2= <sqf>
+player addEventHandler ["HandleDamage", {
+	hint format ["You just sustained %1%2 damage!", ceil ((_this select 2) * 100), "%"];
+}]; // Shows "You just sustained 20% damage!"
+</sqf>
-[[titleText]] ['''format''' ["Good morning, Captain '''%1'''.", [[name]] [[player]]], "plain", 1]
+|x3= <sqf>
+// Since Arma 3 v2.18 two consecutive percent symbols will be formatted to a single percent symbol in the final string (%% -> %)
+player addEventHandler ["HandleDamage", {
+	hint format ["You just sustained %1%% damage!", ceil ((_this select 2) * 100)];
+}]; // Shows "You just sustained 20% damage!"
+</sqf>
+|seealso= [[formatText]] [[endl]] [[str]] [[toString]] [[joinString]]
+}}
+{{Note
+|user= Worldeater
+|timestamp= 20090302151200
+|text= The maximum number of characters returned by the ''format'' command seems to depend on the total byte count. For plain ASCII strings the limit is 2048 characters.
+|game= arma2
+}}
+{{Note
+|user= Heeeere's Johnny!
+|timestamp= 20150328092200
+|text= In addition to the note above, [[formatText]]ed strings are [[Structured Text]], hence cannot be used like [[format]]ted strings (with most scripting commands). A workaround to get strings of type [[String]] with more than 8191 characters is:
+<sqf>str formatText ["%1", _string]</sqf>
+}}