String formatter

Source is one or more variables, identified by a placeholder with an

{index number}

. The index number is progressive and must be an integer greater than zero

{0}

. You can use placeholders in any order in the formatting rule. For example,

the minimum value of {3}, {0} and {2} is {1}

is a valid syntax.

You can nest placeholders in the formatting string

{index,alignment:format}

to dynamically change the formatting of the displayed data.

Nested placeholders examples:

{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
{2}
defines the number of decimal places.

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}'

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
.

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}
.

The string entered in the

Format

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