String.format( ) format arguments

Question

I saw some code with something like

String.format("%3d\t%s" , stuff, stuff).

What does the stuff in the quotation marks mean? I know \t is just a tab, but I do not know what the %'s and other things are.

Also, are there any more of those types of symbols that can be used for formatting Strings?

The documentation is actually to be found on the java.util.Formatter class API, not printf. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels
– Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Commented Apr 24, 2014 at 0:12

Kyle Burton · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-24 00:14:37Z

1

String.format takes a printf format string. Java's format is documented in the JDK documentation for java.lang.String.

The format string you are using breaks down as follows:

%3d format (convert) the first argument into a 3 digit integer
\t a tab character
%s format (convert) the next (second) argumet as a string

answered Apr 24, 2014 at 0:14

Kyle Burton

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Comments

user3477273 · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-24 00:14:35Z

0

I don't know much about Java but in c c++ means an 3 spaces integer first(%3d) and a string (%s), the values after commas are the variables that take their positions. Maybe a variant of printf method

answered Apr 24, 2014 at 0:14

user3477273

2 Comments

Makoto Over a year ago

You're right in spirit, but adding a link to the Formatter API would help in a big way.

user3477273 Over a year ago

I know. But I'm on my phone. I have no many options but your right 100%

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