String formatter

Modify the formatting of one or more values according to a customizable rule.
You can use the string formatter to:
  • Add characters before or after a value, if the value of the source variable is numeric.
  • Format and parameterize SQL queries to use in database objects.
  • Link multiple strings in a series.
  • Apply numeric formatting, such as decimal places or float rounding.

Properties

Property
Description
Format
The formatting rule for variable reference:
  • Index
    . An index number that identifies an input variable. For every
    {index}
     placeholder in the formatting rule, a new field that indicated the source appears.
  • Alignment
    . An integer that represents the number of characters of the source value formatted according to the rule.
  • Format
    . The formatting to be applied to input variables.
    The format placeholder accepts a subset of the values required by the .NET Framework notation for the
    String.Format
     method. Placeholders must use the syntax
    {index,alignment:format}
    .
Mode
The direction of the dynamic link:
  • Read from the source node to the parent.
  • Write from the parent to the source node.
  • Read from the source node to the parent and write from the parent to the source node.

Source

One or more variables identified by:
{
index_number
}
 placeholder
Progressive integer equal to or greater than zero. For example,
{1}
{#
placeholder_identifier
}
 placeholder
String prefixed with
#
. For example,
{#speed}
TIP: Use any combination of placeholders in any order. Use any number of placeholders in the expression.
You can also nest placeholders
{index,alignment:format}
 to dynamically change the formatting of the displayed data. For example:
{0:f{1}}
  • The variable value linked with
    {1}
     defines the number of decimal places.
{0:{1}{2}}
  • The variable value linked with
    {1}
     defines the numeric data type.
  • The variable value linked with
    {2}
     defines the number of decimal places.
{0,{1}:{2}{3}}
  • The variable value linked with
    {1}
     defines the alignment.
  • The variable value linked with
    {2}
     defines the numeric data type.
  • The variable value linked with
    {3}
     defines the number of decimal places.

Data types

Example data: 23/04/2021 17:25:31, session with 60 minutes TimeZone offset.
DateTime
Format
Description
Example
g
Short date and time, local
  • (en-US): 4/23/21, 06:25 PM
  • (it-IT): 23/04/21, 18:25
F
Extended date and time, local
  • (en-US): Apr 23, 2021, 6:25:31 PM
  • (it-IT): 23 apr 2021, 18:25:31
X
Short date and time, UTC
  • (en-US): 4/23/21, 4:25 PM (UTC)
  • (it-IT): 23/04/21, 16:25 (UTC)
x
Extended date and time, UTC
  • (en-US): Apr 23, 2021, 4:25:31 PM (UTC)
  • (it-IT): 23 apr 2021, 16:25:31 (UTC)
U
Complete Universal Date and Time, UTC
  • (en-US): April 23, 2021 4:25:31 PM GMT (UTC)
  • (it-IT): 23 aprile 2021 16:25:31 GMT (UTC)
p
Short date, local
  • (en-US): 4/23/21
  • (it-IT): 23/04/21
P
Extended date, local
  • (en-US): April 23, 2021
  • (it-IT): 23 apr 2021
d
Short date, UTC
  • (en-US): 4/23/21 (UTC)
  • (it-IT): 23/04/21 (UTC)
D
Extended date, UTC
  • (en-US): Apr 23, 2021 (UTC)
  • (it-IT): 23 apr 2021 (UTC)
t
Short time, local
  • (en-US): 6:25 PM
  • (it-IT): 18:25
T
Extended time, local
  • (en-US): 6:25:31 PM
  • (it-IT): 18:25:31
h
Short time, UTC
  • (en-US): 4:25 PM (UTC)
  • (it-IT): 16:25 (UTC)
H
Extended time, UTC
  • (en-US): 4:25:31 PM (UTC)
  • (it-IT): 16:25:31 (UTC)
Numeric (Double Float Int16 Int32 Int64 Integer UInt16 UInt32 UInt64 UInteger)
Format
Description
Example
d
Numerical, without thousands separator.
After the format placeholder, the number of decimal places is configured with an integer (without padding).
  • d
    : -1234 ► -1234
  • d
    : 5.618 ► 5618
  • d2
    : 1,234.239 ► 1234.24
n
Numerical, with thousands separator.
After the format placeholder, the number of decimal places is configured with an integer (without padding).
  • n1
    : -1234.23 ► -1,234.2
  • n2
    : 5804.236 ► 5,804.24
  • n3
    : -1234.23 ► -1,234.230
e
Exponential notation.
After the format placeholder, the number of decimal digits is configured with an integer.
  • e10
    : 12345.6789 ► 1.2345678900E4
  • e2
    : 2665.778 ► 2.67E3
f
Fixed-point notation.
After the format placeholder, the exact number of decimal places is configured with an integer.
  • f3
    : 123 ► 123.000
  • f3
    : 123.23 ► 123.230
  • f4
    : -1898300.678 ► -1,898,300.6780
  • f3
    : 123.4 ► 123.400
p
Percentage.
After the format placeholder, an integer is used to configure the number of decimal places.
  • p
    : 1 ► 100%
  • p3
    : -0.397481 ► -39.748%
x
Hexadecimal notation.
255 ► ff
b
Binary notation.
107 ► 1101011
o
Octal notation.
56 ► 70
Duration and Timespan
Format
Description
Example
c
Constant format.
  • 3.17:25:30.5000000
  • 4:30:00 AM
g
General short format.
  • (en-US): 1:3:16:50.5
  • (en-US): 5:15:09:00
  • (fr-FR): 2:9:02:00,0200000
  • (fr-FR): 15:12:20:00
  • (en-US): 5:12:00
  • (fr-FR): 20:10:00
G
Extended general format.
  • (en-US): 12:08:30 AM:00.0000000
  • (fr-FR): 12:08:30 AM:00.0000000
  • (en-US): 12:18:20 AM:00.0000000
  • (fr-FR): 12:17:30 AM:00.0000000
String
Format
Description
Example
l
All lowercase.
grüßEN ► grüßen
u
All uppercase.
grüßEN ► GRÜSSEN
t
All first letters uppercase.
grüßEN ► GRÜSSEN
f
Case independent.
grüßEN ► grüssen
ANSI SQL
Format
Description
Example
sql_identifier
Formats a given
String
 or
LocalizedText
 as a table or column identifier.
-
sql_literal
Formats the value of a variable as an SQL literal value (
Number
,
String
,
date
,
time
, and so on).
-

SQL queries examples

Parameterize the name of the internal column with the condition: 
SELECT * FROM Table1 WHERE {0:sql_identifier} > 5
Comparison with a data variable: 
SELECT * FROM AlarmsDatalogger WHERE Time > {0:sql_literal}
Parameterize the
LIKE
 operator: 
SELECT * FROM AlarmsDatalogger WHERE Name LIKE '{0}'
Parameterize a part of a query with a placeholder: 
SELECT * FROM Table1 {0}
The placeholder with index
0
 is linked to a project string variable and parameterizes a column; The placeholder with index
1
 is linked to a numeric variable that represents the value for the comparison operator
>
: 
SELECT * FROM {0:sql_identifier} WHERE Column1 > {1:sql_literal}
Parameterize the table name, the column and also the
LIKE
 operator: 
SELECT {0:sql_identifier} FROM {1:sql_identifier} WHERE {0:sql_identifier} LIKE '{2}'

Path formatting

Consider these path formatting capabilities:
  • To format a string as a file path, you can use this syntax:
    {index,alignment:
    filepath
    }
    .
    Input
    ns=5;%PROJECTDIR%/Logo.svg
    Output
    C:\Users\
    UserName
    \AppData\Local\Rockwell Automation\FactoryTalk Optix\Emulator\Projects\
    ProjectName
    \ProjectFiles\Logo.svg
  • To format a string as a URI, you can use this syntax:
    {index,alignment:
    uri
    }
    .
    Input
    ns=5;%PROJECTDIR%/Logo.svg
    Output
    file:///C:/Users/
    UserName
    /AppData/Local/Rockwell Automation/FactoryTalk Optix/Emulator/Projects/
    ProjectName
    /ProjectFiles/Logo.svg
  • To format a part of a path, you can use this syntax:
    file:///C:/Reports/Report
    {0}
    .pdf
    .

Inverse formatting

The inverse formatting feature allows you to modify a formatted value at runtime to replace the value with a new value that the application displays with the same formatting at runtime.
The inverse formatting feature requires the following settings to operate correctly:
  • The dynamic link
    Mode
     of the converter must be
    Read/Write
    .
  • The
    Format
     field must have only one placeholder or source. The placeholder can have a suffix and/or prefix and be set with a format string such as
    {0:n}
    .

Output

The string entered in the
Format
 property, based on the formatting rules with values in place of the placeholder or placeholders.

Example

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