<function name="format" parent="string" type="libraryfunc"> <description>Formats the specified values into the string given.</description> <realm>Shared and Menu</realm> <args> <arg name="format" type="string">The string to be formatted.<br/> Follows this format: http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/cstdio/printf/ The following features are not supported in Lua: * The `n` specifier * The `*` width modifier * The `.*` precision modifier * All length modifiers The following specifiers are exclusive to Lua: | Format | Description | Example of the output | |:------:|:-----------:|:---------------------:| | %p | Returns pointer to supplied structure (table/function) | `0xf20a8968` |⤶ | %q | Formats a string between double quotes, using escape sequences when necessary to ensure that it can safely be read back by the Lua interpreter | `"test\1\2test"` | </arg> <arg name="formatParameters" type="vararg">Values to be formatted into the string.</arg> </args> <rets> <ret name="" type="string">The formatted string</ret> </rets> </function> <example> <description>Example showing the different types of format codes.</description> <code> local s = "Hello, world!" // string print(string.format("here's a string: %s", s)) // string with quotes print(string.format("here's a quoted string: %q", s)) // characters from numeric values print(string.format("%c%c%c", 65, 66, 67)) // number with an exponent print(string.format("%e, %E", math.pi, math.pi)) // float and compact float print(string.format("%f, %G", math.pi, math.pi)) // signed, signed, and unsigned int print(string.format("%d, %i, %u", -100, -100, -100)) // octal, hex, and uppercase hex print(string.format("%o, %x, %X", -100, -100, -100)) </code> <output> ``` here's a string: Hello, world! here's a quoted string: "Hello, world!" ABC 3.141593e+000, 3.141593E+000 3.141593, 3.14159 -100, -100, 4294967196 37777777634, ffffff9c, FFFFFF9C ``` </output> </example>