printf

Write formatted output to the Command window.

Syntax

printf("format" [, expr] [...])

Where:

"format"	is a list of conversion specifications that corresponds to the like-ordered items in the list of expressions. Quotation marks are required.
expr	is an expression that is evaluated and displayed.

Discussion:

Use the printf function to write formatted output to the Command window. The printf command is similar to the C-language printf routine.

The format string is comprised of a series of conversion specifications of the form:

"% [flags] [width] [.precision] [data-length] conversion-operator"

These fields are defined as follows:

Flags

The flags element can be one of the following:

Flag	Description
- (minus)	causes the output to left-justify.
+ (plus)	causes signed numeric output to always display a sign.
0 (zero)	causes the field to zero fill.
(space)	causes the field to space fill (default)

Width

Use the digits 0 through 9 to define the minimum width of a field. Use an asterisk (*) to assign this value from an expression.

Precision

Use the digits 0 through 9 to define the decimal precision of a field.

Data-length

The following list gives the data size operators and their descriptions.  If not specified the length is determined from the expression itself.

Operator	Description
h	typecasts the corresponding argument to a 16-bit value.
l, L	typecasts the corresponding argument to a 32-bit value.
I64	typecasts the corresponding argument to a 64-bit value (SourcePoint extension).
I128	typecasts the corresponding argument to a 128-bit value (SourcePoint extension).

Conversion-operator

The following list gives the conversion operators and their descriptions.

Operator	Description
d, i	displays corresponding argument in signed decimal
u	displays corresponding argument in unsigned decimal
o	displays corresponding argument in octal
x, X	displays corresponding argument in hexadecimal
e, E, f, g, G	displays corresponding argument as floating-point
c	displays corresponding argument as a character
s	displays corresponding argument as a null-terminated string
b, B	displays corresponding argument as a boolean (SourcePoint extension).
y, Y	displays corresponding argument in binary (SourcePoint extension).
D	displays corresponding argument in the current default number base (SourcePoint extension).
p	displays corresponding argument as a pointer (SourcePoint extension).

Escape Characters

The printf function accepts the following escape characters. The leading backslash is required.

Escape Character	Description
\b	backspace
\f	form-feed
\n	new line (flushes output to the Command line)
\r	carriage return
\t	tab
\\	backslash
\”	double quote
\nnn	a three-digit octal number that represents the ASCII value of the character. This value enables characters that are not directly available from the keyboard to be inserted into a character string.
\xnn	a two-digit hexadecimal number that represents the ASCII value of the character. This value enables characters that are not directly available from the keyboard to be inserted into a character string. The x indicates that a hexadecimal number follows

Example 1

To print a simple message to the screen (the \n character is required to flush output to the Command line):

Command input:

printf("This is my message.\n")

Result:

This is my message.

Example 2

To use character strings to print a date:

Command input:

define nstring date = "Saturday"
define ord1 day = 3
printf("Today is %s, the %drd of July.\n", date, day)

Result:

Today is Saturday, the 3rd of July.

Example 3

To print a message with an audible beep (007 octal is the ASCII code for beep):

Command input:

printf("\007ATTENTION: Emulation has stopped \n")

Result:

ATTENTION: Emulation has stopped

Related Topics:

fprintf

putchar

puts

sprintf