PRINTF

Syntax

SUB PRINTF ("C format string", ParamArray ...)

built-in SUB that calls the existing printf routine in the firmware for versions 8.11 or later (version 7.51 or later on ARM7 parts)

Description

PRINTF is a way to format printed output.  It can be as simple a short string or quite complex specifying field sizes and pad characters for a number.  This routine is written in C and is part of the firmware.  As of 8.11 firmware BASIC programs can access this powerful C subroutine. But the BASIC compiler just passes the parameters to the C and does NO type checking or even counts of parameters.

Rather than duplicate the documentation of PRINTF, there is a great deal of information for printf in documentation for C such as

C reference for printf

PRINTF in the firmware supports c (BYTE),  s (STRING),  d (decimal INTEGER),  x or X for (hex INTEGER), e, E,  f, g, or G (for SINGLE).

The G format is used by the ARMbasic PRINT, it differs a little from the G format of C.  It displays 0.0 or the range 0.1000000 through 9999999. and outside that it uses D.DDDDDDE+DD and the negative values as well.

Pad characters of 0 or space can be added to fill out LENGTH or WIDTH and PRECISION.  PRECISION is limited to 0 to 8 characters.

To add CR <carriage return> to the output printed, either use PRINT or print a %c with a value of 13

Example

\

PRINTF("a simple string")

i =
1234

PRINTF("
%d",i)
' print a decimal integer

DIM x AS
SINGLE

x
= 12.34

PRINTF("
%1.4f",x)                       '
print a floating point number
with 4 digits of precision

PRINTF("%c%c
a string a single %1.5f an integer %d a hex number %x and a carriage return
%c",13,13,x,i,i,13)

will print out
--

a simple string 1234
12.3400

a
string a single 12.34000 an integer 1234 a hex number 4D2 and a carriage
return

Differences from other BASICs

\

• similar to String.Format in Visual BASIC
• no equivalent in PBASIC

See also

\

• SPRINTF