printf

What is printf?

The printf npm package is a JavaScript implementation of the C-style printf function, which allows for formatted string output. It supports various format specifiers and can be used to format strings, numbers, and other data types in a structured way.

What are printf's main functionalities?

String Formatting

This feature allows you to format strings by embedding format specifiers within the string. In this example, '%s' is replaced by the string 'world'.

const printf = require('printf');
console.log(printf('Hello, %s!', 'world'));

Number Formatting

This feature allows you to format numbers. In this example, '%d' is replaced by the number 42.

const printf = require('printf');
console.log(printf('The number is: %d', 42));

Floating Point Formatting

This feature allows you to format floating-point numbers to a specified precision. In this example, '%.2f' formats the number 3.14159 to two decimal places.

const printf = require('printf');
console.log(printf('Pi is approximately %.2f', 3.14159));

Hexadecimal Formatting

This feature allows you to format numbers as hexadecimal. In this example, '%x' formats the number 255 as 'ff'.

const printf = require('printf');
console.log(printf('Hexadecimal: %x', 255));

Other packages similar to printf

sprintf-js

The sprintf-js package provides similar functionality to printf, offering a JavaScript implementation of the sprintf function. It supports a wide range of format specifiers and is highly configurable. Compared to printf, sprintf-js offers more extensive documentation and additional features like named arguments.

util

The util package is a core Node.js module that includes the util.format function, which provides similar string formatting capabilities. While not as feature-rich as printf or sprintf-js, util.format is built into Node.js and does not require an additional dependency.

README

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A complete implementation of the printf C functions family for Node.JS, written in pure JavaScript.

The code is strongly inspired by the one available in the Dojo Toolkit.

Bonus! You get extra features, like the %O converter (which inspects the argument). See Extra Features below.

Installing

Via NPM:

$ npm install printf

Usage

Use it like you would in C (printf/sprintf):

var printf = require('printf');
var result = printf(format, args...);

It can also output the result for you, as fprintf:

var printf = require('printf');
printf(write_stream, format, args...);

Features

Flags

  (space)

assert.eql('  -42', printf('% 5d', -42));

+ (plus)

assert.eql('  +42', printf('%+5d', 42));

0 (zero)

assert.eql('00042', printf('%05d', 42));

- (minus)

assert.eql('42   ', printf('%-5d', 42));

Width / precision

assert.eql('42.90', printf('%.2f', 42.8952));
assert.eql('042.90', printf('%06.2f', 42.8952));

Numerical bases

assert.eql('\x7f', printf('%c', 0x7f));
assert.eql('a', printf('%c', 'a'));
assert.eql('"', printf('%c', 34));

Miscellaneous

assert.eql('10%', printf('%d%%', 10));
assert.eql('+hello+', printf('+%s+', 'hello'));
assert.eql('$', printf('%c', 36));

Extra features!

Inspector

The %O converter will call util.inspect(...) at the argument:

assert.eql("Debug: { hello: 'Node', repeat: false }",
  printf('Debug: %O', {hello: 'Node', "repeat": false})
);
assert.eql("Test: { hello: 'Node' }",
  printf('%2$s: %1$O', {"hello": 'Node'}, 'Test')
);

Important: it's a capital "O", not a zero!

Specifying a precision lets you control the depth up to which the object is formatted:

assert.eql("Debug: { depth0: { depth1_: 0, depth1: [Object] } }",
  printf('Debug: %.1O', {depth0: {depth1: {depth2: {depth3: true}}, depth1_: 0}})
);

You can use the alternative form flag together with %O to disable representation of non-enumerable properties (useful for arrays):

assert.eql("With non-enumerable properties: [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, [length]: 5 ]",
  printf('With non-enumerable properties: %O', [1, 2, 3, 4, 5])
);
assert.eql("Without non-enumerable properties: [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ]",
  printf('Without non-enumerable properties: %#O', [1, 2, 3, 4, 5])
);

Argument mapping

In addition to the old-fashioned n$, you can use hashes and property names!

assert.eql('Hot Pockets',
  printf('%(temperature)s %(crevace)ss', {
    temperature: 'Hot',
    crevace: 'Pocket'
  })
);
assert.eql('Hot Pockets',
  printf('%2$s %1$ss', 'Pocket', 'Hot')
);

Positionals

Lenght and precision can now be variable:

assert.eql(' foo', printf('%*s', 'foo', 4));
assert.eql('      3.14', printf('%*.*f', 3.14159265, 10, 2));
assert.eql('000003.142', printf('%0*.*f', 3.14159265, 10, 3));
assert.eql('3.1416    ', printf('%-*.*f', 3.14159265, 10, 4));

Development

Tests are written in CoffeeScript executed with Mocha. To use it, simple run npm install, it will install Mocha and its dependencies in your project's node_modules directory followed by npm test.

To run the tests:

npm install
npm test

The test suite is run online with Travis against the versions 0.9, 0.10 and 0.11 of Node.js.

Contributors

• David Worms https://github.com/wdavidw
• Aluísio Augusto Silva Gonçalves https://github.com/AluisioASG
• Xavier Mendez https://github.com/jmendeth
• LLeo https://github.com/lleo
• Derrell Lipman https://github.com/derrell

Changelog

Version 0.2.4

• printf: import vsprintf source enhancements