(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)
sprintf — Return a formatted string
Returns a string produced according to the formatting string
format.
format
The format string is composed of zero or more directives:
ordinary characters (excluding %) that are
copied directly to the result and conversion
specifications, each of which results in fetching its
own parameter.
A conversion specification follows this prototype:
%[argnum$][flags][width][.precision]specifier.
An integer followed by a dollar sign $,
to specify which number argument to treat in the conversion.
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
- |
Left-justify within the given field width; Right justification is the default |
+ |
Prefix positive numbers with a plus sign
+; Default only negative
are prefixed with a negative sign.
|
(space) |
Pads the result with spaces. This is the default. |
0 |
Only left-pads numbers with zeros.
With s specifiers this can
also right-pad with zeros.
|
'(char) |
Pads the result with the character (char). |
An integer that says how many characters (minimum) this conversion should result in.
A period . followed by an integer
who's meaning depends on the specifier:
e, E,
f and F
specifiers: this is the number of digits to be printed
after the decimal point (by default, this is 6).
g, G,
h and H
specifiers: this is the maximum number of significant
digits to be printed.
s specifier: it acts as a cutoff point,
setting a maximum character limit to the string.
Note: If the period is specified without an explicit value for precision, 0 is assumed.
| Specifier | Description |
|---|---|
% |
A literal percent character. No argument is required. |
b |
The argument is treated as an integer and presented as a binary number. |
c |
The argument is treated as an integer and presented as the character with that ASCII. |
d |
The argument is treated as an integer and presented as a (signed) decimal number. |
e |
The argument is treated as scientific notation (e.g. 1.2e+2). |
E |
Like the e specifier but uses
uppercase letter (e.g. 1.2E+2).
|
f |
The argument is treated as a float and presented as a floating-point number (locale aware). |
F |
The argument is treated as a float and presented as a floating-point number (non-locale aware). |
g |
General format. Let P equal the precision if nonzero, 6 if the precision is omitted, or 1 if the precision is zero. Then, if a conversion with style E would have an exponent of X: If P > X ≥ −4, the conversion is with style f and precision P − (X + 1). Otherwise, the conversion is with style e and precision P − 1. |
G |
Like the g specifier but uses
E and f.
|
h |
Like the g specifier but uses F.
Available as of PHP 8.0.0.
|
H |
Like the g specifier but uses
E and F. Available as of PHP 8.0.0.
|
o |
The argument is treated as an integer and presented as an octal number. |
s |
The argument is treated and presented as a string. |
u |
The argument is treated as an integer and presented as an unsigned decimal number. |
x |
The argument is treated as an integer and presented as a hexadecimal number (with lowercase letters). |
X |
The argument is treated as an integer and presented as a hexadecimal number (with uppercase letters). |
The c type specifier ignores padding and width
Attempting to use a combination of the string and width specifiers with character sets that require more than one byte per character may result in unexpected results
Variables will be co-erced to a suitable type for the specifier:
| Type | Specifiers |
|---|---|
| string | s |
| int |
d,
u,
c,
o,
x,
X,
b
|
| float |
e,
E,
f,
F,
g,
G,
h,
H
|
values
Returns a string produced according to the formatting string
format.
As of PHP 8.0.0, a ValueError is thrown if the number of arguments is zero.
Prior to PHP 8.0.0, a E_WARNING was emitted instead.
As of PHP 8.0.0, a ValueError is thrown if [width] is less than zero or bigger than PHP_INT_MAX.
Prior to PHP 8.0.0, a E_WARNING was emitted instead.
As of PHP 8.0.0, a ValueError is thrown if [precision] is less than zero or bigger than PHP_INT_MAX.
Prior to PHP 8.0.0, a E_WARNING was emitted instead.
As of PHP 8.0.0, a ArgumentCountError is thrown when less arguments are given than required.
Prior to PHP 8.0.0, false was returned and a E_WARNING emitted instead.
| Version | Description |
|---|---|
| 8.0.0 |
This function no longer returns false on failure.
|
| 8.0.0 |
Throw a ValueError if the number of arguments is zero;
previously this function emitted a E_WARNING instead.
|
| 8.0.0 |
Throw a ValueError if [width] is less than zero or bigger than PHP_INT_MAX;
previously this function emitted a E_WARNING instead.
|
| 8.0.0 |
Throw a ValueError if [precision] is less than zero or bigger than PHP_INT_MAX;
previously this function emitted a E_WARNING instead.
|
| 8.0.0 |
Throw a ArgumentCountError when less arguments are given than required;
previously this function emitted a E_WARNING instead.
|
Example #1 Argument swapping
The format string supports argument numbering/swapping.
<?php
$num = 5;
$location = 'tree';
$format = 'There are %d monkeys in the %s';
echo sprintf($format, $num, $location);
?>
The above example will output:
There are 5 monkeys in the tree
However imagine we are creating a format string in a separate file, commonly because we would like to internationalize it and we rewrite it as:
<?php
$format = 'The %s contains %d monkeys';
echo sprintf($format, $num, $location);
?>
We now have a problem. The order of the placeholders in the format string does not match the order of the arguments in the code. We would like to leave the code as is and simply indicate in the format string which arguments the placeholders refer to. We would write the format string like this instead:
<?php
$format = 'The %2$s contains %1$d monkeys';
echo sprintf($format, $num, $location);
?>
An added benefit is that placeholders can be repeated without adding more arguments in the code.
<?php
$format = 'The %2$s contains %1$d monkeys.
That\'s a nice %2$s full of %1$d monkeys.';
echo sprintf($format, $num, $location);
?>
When using argument swapping, the n$
position specifier must come immediately
after the percent sign (%), before any other
specifiers, as shown below.
Example #2 Specifying padding character
<?php
echo sprintf("%'.9d\n", 123);
echo sprintf("%'.09d\n", 123);
?>
The above example will output:
......123 000000123
Example #3 Position specifier with other specifiers
<?php
$format = 'The %2$s contains %1$04d monkeys';
echo sprintf($format, $num, $location);
?>
The above example will output:
The tree contains 0005 monkeys
Example #4 sprintf(): zero-padded integers
<?php
$isodate = sprintf("%04d-%02d-%02d", $year, $month, $day);
?>
Example #5 sprintf(): formatting currency
<?php
$money1 = 68.75;
$money2 = 54.35;
$money = $money1 + $money2;
echo $money;
echo "\n";
$formatted = sprintf("%01.2f", $money);
echo $formatted;
?>
The above example will output:
123.1 123.10
Example #6 sprintf(): scientific notation
<?php
$number = 362525200;
echo sprintf("%.3e", $number);
?>
The above example will output:
3.625e+8