I/O Format Specifiers for Writing Integers

Integer Data -- %d (and variants)

An integer argument has a format specifier of the following form:

%[flags] [488.2 type] [width] [.precision] [delimiter [array size] ] [$S] [b | h | l | I] [d | o | x]

Modifier	Interpretation
Default Functionality	The argument is formatted as an integer in NR1 format (an integer without a decimal point).
flags +, -, 0	Controls justification and padding of the output, as follows: - - left aligns the result with the given field width. + - prefixes the output value with a sign (+ or –) if the output value is of a signed type. By default, a sign only appears for negative values. 0 pads with zeros until the specified width is reached. If 0 and - appear together, the 0 is ignored.
488.2 type	The number is formatted in one of six standard IEEE 488.2 numeric formats. The supported formats are: @1 - IEEE 488.2 NR1 format (integer without any decimal point). Example: 123 @2 - IEEE 488.2 NR2 format (number with at least one digit after the decimal point). Example: 123.45 @3 - IEEE 488.2 NR3 format (floating-point number in exponential form). Example: 1.2345E-67 @H - IEEE 488.2 hex format. Example: #HAF35B @Q - IEEE 488.2 octal format. Example: #Q71234 @B - IEEE 488.2 binary format. Example: #B011101001
width	Minimum field width of the output number. An asterisk (*) may be present in lieu of an integer width modifier, in which case an extra int argument supplies the value.
precision	Minimum number of digits to send. An asterisk (*) may be present in lieu of an integer precision modifier, in which case an extra int argument supplies the value.
delimiter [array size]	The argument is interpreted as an array of integers (or long or short integers, as specified by the length). If the $S modifier is present, the argument is interpreted as a SAFEARRAY of integers. array size specifies the number of array elements to send. An asterisk (*) may be present in lieu of an integer array size modifier, in which case an extra int argument supplies the value.
$S	The argument is interpreted as a SAFEARRAY of integers.
length modifier	If no length modifier is specified, then the argument is assumed to be a long integer (32-bits). b - argument is a BYTE (8-bit) integer. h - argument is a short (16-bit) integer. l - argument is a long (32-bit) integer. I - argument is a __int64 (64-bit) integer.
type	d - number is formatted as a decimal integer. o - number is formatted as an octal integer. x - number is formatted as a hex integer.

Example -- Field width control

C++

Copy

HRESULT hr = S_OK;

int nCount = 1234;

// Left justify
hr = io.Printf(_T("%-8d"), nCount);            // Sends "1234    "

// Right justify
hr = io.Printf(_T("%8d"), nCount);             // Sends "    1234"

// Right justify, pad with zeroes
hr = io.Printf(_T("%08d"), nCount);            // Sends "00001234"

// Supply field width using a variable
int nWidth = 5;
hr = io.Printf(_T("%0*d"), nWidth, lCount);    // Sends "00123";

Example -- Integer length modifiers

C++

Copy

HRESULT hr = S_OK;

int nCount = 1234;
hr = io.Printf(_T("%d"), nCount);      // Sends "1234"

long lCount = 1234;
hr = io.Printf(_T("%ld"), lCount);     // Sends "1234"

short sCount = 1234;
hr = io.Printf(_T("%hd"), sCount);     // Sends "1234"

Example -- Integer arrays

C++

Copy

HRESULT hr = S_OK;

int rgData[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

// Comma-separated list of 3 elements
hr = io.Printf(_T("%,3d"), rgData);                // Sends "1,2,3"

// Semi-colon separated, count supplied as a variable
int nCount = 4;
hr = io.Printf(_T("%(;)*d"), nCount, rgData);      // Sends "1;2;3;4"

// Field width specified applies to each element
hr = io.Printf(_T("%4,3d"), rgData);               // Sends "   1,   2,   3"

CComSafeArray<int> saData;
saData.Add(1);
saData.Add(3);
saData.Add(3);

// Comma-separated list.  Argument is a SAFEARRAY.
// No field width supplied, so count is determined from the SAFEARRAY itself.
hr = io.Printf(_T("%,$Sd"), saData.m_psa);         // Sends "1,2,3"

Example -- IEEE 488.2 format numbers

C++

Copy

HRESULT hr = S_OK;

// Format value as an IEEE-defined hex number
int nMask = 1234;
hr = io.Printf(_T("%@Hd"), nMask);         // Sends "#H7B"

// Format value as an IEEE-defined binary number
hr = io.Printf(_T("%@Hd"), nMask);         // Sends "#B1111011"

int rgData[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

// Field width of 5 includes the "#B", pad with zeros
hr = io.Printf(_T("%@B05,5d"), rgData);    // Sends "#B001,#B010,#B011,#B100,#B101"

Other Resources

Printf