The format() Command

format.png

Command Summary

Converts a number to a string with specified formatting.

Command Syntax

format(number[,options])

Menu Location

  • Press 2nd MATH to enter the MATH popup menu.
  • Press D to enter the Strings submenu.
  • Press 9 to select format(.

Calculator Compatibility

This command works on all calculators.

Token Size

3 bytes

NOTE: Due to the limitations of the wiki markup language, the E command on this page does not appear as it would on the calculator. See Wiki Markup Limitations for more information.

The format() command is a more advanced version of string() specifically intended to convert numbers (usually, floating-point numbers) to strings. It can override settings like Display Digits and Exponential Format, and instead lets the user input these options and more in a string. Since it converts even integer input to floating-point, it also doesn't depend on the Base setting.

The format string can have the following values (not case-sensitive):

  • F[number] overrides Display Digits to fixed-point with [number] digits after the decimal; [number] can be omitted to use the default, which is 12; it must be between 0 and 12.
  • S[number] does this and also overrides Exponential Format to scientific.
  • E[number] does this and also overrides Exponential Format to engineering.
  • G[number][character] does this and also separates the digits to the left of the decimal into groups of three, with [character] as the separator. The default for [character], if it is omitted, is a comma. If you make the separator a period, then the decimal point will become a comma.

To all of these, you can also append R[character] to replace the decimal point with [character]. Only 'symbols' are allowed for [character], which is a bit vague: numbers and letters are not allowed, nor are some international characters.

:format(π,"F")
           "3.14159265359"
:format(2^25,"S6")
           "3.355443e7"
:format(2^25,"E6")
           "33.55443e6"
:format(2^25,"G0")
           "33,554,432."
:format(2^25,"G0 R ")
           "33 554 432 "

If the format string is empty, or if the argument is omitted entirely, format() will convert the number to a decimal, but otherwise will work just like string()

Error Conditions

260 - Domain error happens when the format string is improperly formatted.

Related Commands

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