# HG changeset patch # User Chong Yidong # Date 1204051495 0 # Node ID 66d2cbc18972e0ac58c704b9aaafcb2a4d2f84a2 # Parent f8e989b3290efa9ce66c9238d54d60ddc637f4fd (Formatting Strings): Treat - and 0 as flag characters. diff -r f8e989b3290e -r 66d2cbc18972 lispref/strings.texi --- a/lispref/strings.texi Tue Feb 26 18:44:47 2008 +0000 +++ b/lispref/strings.texi Tue Feb 26 18:44:55 2008 +0000 @@ -822,58 +822,80 @@ @cindex field width @cindex padding - A specification can have a @dfn{width}, which is a signed decimal -number between the @samp{%} and the specification character. If the -printed representation of the object contains fewer characters than -this width, @code{format} extends it with padding. The padding goes -on the left if the width is positive (or starts with zero) and on the -right if the width is negative. The padding character is normally a -space, but it's @samp{0} if the width starts with a zero. - - Some of these conventions are ignored for specification characters -for which they do not make sense. That is, @samp{%s}, @samp{%S} and -@samp{%c} accept a width starting with 0, but still pad with -@emph{spaces} on the left. Also, @samp{%%} accepts a width, but -ignores it. Here are some examples of padding: + A specification can have a @dfn{width}, which is a decimal number +between the @samp{%} and the specification character. If the printed +representation of the object contains fewer characters than this +width, @code{format} extends it with padding. The width specifier is +ignored for the @samp{%%} specification. Any padding introduced by +the width specifier normally consists of spaces inserted on the left: @example -(format "%06d is padded on the left with zeros" 123) - @result{} "000123 is padded on the left with zeros" - -(format "%-6d is padded on the right" 123) - @result{} "123 is padded on the right" +(format "%5d is padded on the left with spaces" 123) + @result{} " 123 is padded on the left with spaces" @end example @noindent If the width is too small, @code{format} does not truncate the object's printed representation. Thus, you can use a width to specify a minimum spacing between columns with no risk of losing information. +In the following three examples, @samp{%7s} specifies a minimum width +of 7. In the first case, the string inserted in place of @samp{%7s} +has only 3 letters, and needs 4 blank spaces as padding. In the +second case, the string @code{"specification"} is 13 letters wide but +is not truncated. - In the following three examples, @samp{%7s} specifies a minimum -width of 7. In the first case, the string inserted in place of -@samp{%7s} has only 3 letters, it needs 4 blank spaces as padding. In -the second case, the string @code{"specification"} is 13 letters wide -but is not truncated. In the third case, the padding is on the right. - -@smallexample +@example @group (format "The word `%7s' actually has %d letters in it." "foo" (length "foo")) @result{} "The word ` foo' actually has 3 letters in it." -@end group - -@group (format "The word `%7s' actually has %d letters in it." "specification" (length "specification")) @result{} "The word `specification' actually has 13 letters in it." @end group +@end example +@cindex flags in format specifications + Immediately after the @samp{%} and before the optional width +specifier, you can also put certain @dfn{flag characters}. + + The flag @samp{+} inserts a plus sign before a positive number, so +that it always has a sign. A space character as flag inserts a space +before a positive number. (Otherwise, positive numbers start with the +first digit.) These flags are useful for ensuring that positive +numbers and negative numbers use the same number of columns. They are +ignored except for @samp{%d}, @samp{%e}, @samp{%f}, @samp{%g}, and if +both flags are used, @samp{+} takes precedence. + + The flag @samp{#} specifies an ``alternate form'' which depends on +the format in use. For @samp{%o}, it ensures that the result begins +with a @samp{0}. For @samp{%x} and @samp{%X}, it prefixes the result +with @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. For @samp{%e}, @samp{%f}, and @samp{%g}, +the @samp{#} flag means include a decimal point even if the precision +is zero. + + The flag @samp{-} causes the padding inserted by the width +specifier, if any, to be inserted on the right rather than the left. +The flag @samp{0} ensures that the padding consists of @samp{0} +characters instead of spaces, inserted on the left. These flags are +ignored for specification characters for which they do not make sense: +@samp{%s}, @samp{%S} and @samp{%c} accept the @samp{0} flag, but still +pad with @emph{spaces} on the left. If both @samp{-} and @samp{0} are +present and valid, @samp{-} takes precedence. + +@example @group +(format "%06d is padded on the left with zeros" 123) + @result{} "000123 is padded on the left with zeros" + +(format "%-6d is padded on the right" 123) + @result{} "123 is padded on the right" + (format "The word `%-7s' actually has %d letters in it." "foo" (length "foo")) @result{} "The word `foo ' actually has 3 letters in it." @end group -@end smallexample +@end example @cindex precision in format specifications All the specification characters allow an optional @dfn{precision} @@ -887,25 +909,6 @@ @var{object}. Precision has no effect for other specification characters. -@cindex flags in format specifications - Immediately after the @samp{%} and before the optional width and -precision, you can put certain ``flag'' characters. - - @samp{+} as a flag inserts a plus sign before a positive number, so -that it always has a sign. A space character as flag inserts a space -before a positive number. (Otherwise, positive numbers start with the -first digit.) Either of these two flags ensures that positive numbers -and negative numbers use the same number of columns. These flags are -ignored except for @samp{%d}, @samp{%e}, @samp{%f}, @samp{%g}, and if -both flags are used, the @samp{+} takes precedence. - - The flag @samp{#} specifies an ``alternate form'' which depends on -the format in use. For @samp{%o} it ensures that the result begins -with a @samp{0}. For @samp{%x} and @samp{%X}, it prefixes the result -with @samp{0x} or @samp{0X}. For @samp{%e}, @samp{%f}, and @samp{%g}, -the @samp{#} flag means include a decimal point even if the precision -is zero. - @node Case Conversion @comment node-name, next, previous, up @section Case Conversion in Lisp