Format: Returns a string formatted according to instructions contained in a format String expression.
Parameters
Expression
- Required. Any valid expression.
Style
- Optional. A valid named or user-defined format String expression.
Settings
For information on how to create the Style argument, see the appropriate topic listed below:
To format | Do this |
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Numbers | Use predefined numeric formats or create user-defined numeric formats. | Dates and times | Use predefined date/time formats or create user-defined date/time formats. | Date and time serial numbers | Use date and time formats or numeric formats. |
The following table identifies the predefined numeric format names. These may be used by name as the style argument for the Format function:
Format name | Description |
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General Number, G, or g
| Displays number with no thousand separator. |
Currency, C, or c
| Displays number with thousand separator, if appropriate; display two digits to the right of the decimal separator. Output is based on system locale settings. |
Fixed, F, or f
| Displays at least one digit to the left and two digits to the right of the decimal separator. |
Standard, N, or n
| Displays number with thousand separator, at least one digit to the left and two digits to the right of the decimal separator. |
Percent, P, or p
| Displays number multiplied by 100 with a percent sign (%) appended to the right; always display two digits to the right of the decimal separator. |
Scientific, E, or e
| Uses standard scientific notation. |
D, or d
| Displays number as a string that contains the value of the number in Decimal (base 10) format. This option is supported for integral types (Byte, Short, Integer, Long) only. |
X, or x
| Displays number as a string that contains the value of the number in Hexadecimal (base 16) format. This option is supported for integral types (Byte, Short, Integer, Long) only. | Yes/No | Displays No if number is 0; otherwise, displays Yes . | True/False | Displays False if number is 0; otherwise, displays True . | On/Off | Displays Off if number is 0; otherwise, displays On . |
If you try to format a number without specifying Style, the Format function provides functionality similar to the Str function, although it is internationally aware. However, positive numbers formatted as strings using the Format function don't include a leading space reserved for the sign of the value; those converted using the Str function retain the leading space.
Remarks
If you are formatting a nonlocalized numeric string, you should use a user-defined numeric format to ensure that you get the look you want.
The String.Format method also provides similar functionality.
Example
This example shows various uses of the Format function to format values using both String formats and user-defined formats. For the date separator (/), time separator (:), and the AM/PM indicators (t and tt), the actual formatted output displayed by your system depends on the locale settings the code is using. When times and dates are displayed in the development environment, the short time format and short date format of the code locale are used.
Dim MyDateTime As Date = #1/27/2001 5:04:23 PM#
Dim MyStr As String
' Returns current system time in the system-defined long time format.
MyStr = Format( Now(), "Long Time")
' Returns current system date in the system-defined long date format.
MyStr = Format( Now(), "Long Date")
' Also returns current system date in the system-defined long date
' format, using the single letter code for the format.
MyStr = Format( Now(), "D")
' Returns the value of MyDateTime in user-defined date/time formats.
MyStr = Format( MyDateTime, "h:m:s") ' Returns "5:4:23".
MyStr = Format( MyDateTime, "hh:mm:ss tt") ' Returns "05:04:23 PM".
MyStr = Format( MyDateTime, "dddd, MMM d yyyy") ' Returns "Saturday,
' Jan 27 2001".
MyStr = Format (MyDateTime, "HH:mm:ss") ' Returns "17:04:23"
MyStr = Format( 23) ' Returns "23".
' User-defined numeric formats.
MyStr = Format( 5459.4, "##,##0.00") ' Returns "5,459.40".
MyStr = Format( 334.9, "###0.00") ' Returns "334.90".
MyStr = Format( 5, "0.00%") ' Returns "500.00%".
MyStr = Format( 23.99, "$##,##0.00") ' Returns "$23.00".
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