printf - formatted output conversion void printf( string format, ... ); The output is sent to this_user(), in the same manner as the write() efun. Implemented by Lynscar (Sean A Reith). This version supports the following as modifiers:
* " " - pad positive integers with a space. * "+" - pad positive integers with a plus sign. * "-" - left adjusted within field size. Note: std (s)printf() defaults to right justification, which is unnatural in the context of a mainly string based language but has been retained for "compatability". * "|" - centered within field size. * "=" - column mode if strings are greater than field size. This is only meaningful with strings, all other types ignore this. Columns are auto-magically word wrapped. * "#" - table mode, print a list of '\\n' separated 'words' in a table within the field size. only meaningful with strings. * a number - specifies the field size, a '*' specifies to use the corresponding arg as the field size. If n is prepended with a zero, then is padded zeros, else it is padded with spaces (or specified pad string). * "." followed by a number - precision of n, simple strings truncate after this (if precision is greater than field size, then field size = precision), tables use precision to specify the number of columns (if precision not specified then tables calculate a best fit), all other types ignore this. * ":" followed by a number - n specifies the fs _and_ the precision, if n is prepended by a zero then it is padded with zeros instead of spaces. * "@" - the argument is an array. the corresponding format_info (minus the "@") is applyed to each element of the array. * "'X'" - The char(s) between the single-quotes are used to pad to field size (defaults to space) (if both a zero (in front of field size) and a pad string are specified, the one specified second overrules). NOTE: to include "'" in the pad string, you must use "\'" (as the backslash has to be escaped past the interpreter), similarly, to include "\" requires "\\\\".
The following are the possible type specifiers.
* % - in which case no arguments are interpreted, and a "%" is inserted, and all modifiers are ignored. * O - the argument is an LPC datatype. The format is suitable for printing any type (useful for debugging) * s - the argument is a string. * d or i - the integer arg is printed in decimal. * c - the integer arg is to be printed as a character. * o - the integer arg is printed in octal. * x - the integer arg is printed in hex. * X - the integer arg is printed in hex (with A-F in capitals). * f - floating point number
See also: sscanf, sprintf Tim Hollebeek Beek@ZorkMUD, Lima Bean, IdeaExchange, and elsewhere