NetFormat and Formatting Tools

Core of this collection is the NetFormat-Unit. Use it to easily format a string in Delphi.

test:= FStr('Hallo {0} {1:D2} {2:dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss}').Params('Test', 2.2, testdate.Now)

Result:

Hallo Test 02 23.01.2024 12:00:01

As you can see, all Delphitypes are accepted as input, and they will be convertet to String, and replaces the appropiate position in the String.

NetFormat.pas uses Generics, and Advanced RTTI, RegEx and shoul be running with Delphi XE or later. It is testet in Delphi 10.3

Simple Syntax

test:= FStr('Hallo').ToString()
test:= FStr('Hallo {0}').Params('Test')
test:= FStr('Hallo {0}').Params(2)

Result:

Hallo
Hallo Test
Hallo 2

Use {0} till {9} to specifiy the Position of Parameter.

Complex Syntax

test:= FStr('Hallo {0:F2}').Params(2)

Result:

Hallo 2.00

Use a ':', one of the Spezifier and 'C', 'D' or 'F' followed by a number. More about the Spezifiers below.

test:= FStr('Hallo {0:dd.MM.}').Params(testdate.Now)

Result:

Hallo 23.01.

Use the Date/Time Syntax to Format a Date and/or Time. More about the Spezifiers below.

Format Specifiers

Following Specifiers are available:

Specifier	Valid For	Length	Description	example
C	Int/Float	specifies decimals	displays a Currency-Value	15 -> C2: 15.00 €
D	Int/Float	leading zeros till length	number without decimals	9.1 -> D3: 009
F	Int/Float	specifies decimals	float value	2.457 -> F2: 2.45
X	Int/Float	specifies decimals	HexString	27 -> X2: 1B
various	TDateTime		Formates a TDateTime, see below	see below

TDateTime Specifiers available:

Specifier	Description	example
y	Year, one/two digits	24 or 9
yy	Year, two digits	24 or 09
yyyy	Year, 4 digits	2024
M	Month, one/two digits	1 or 12
MM	Month, two digits	01 or 12
MMM	Month, abre.	Jan or Dec
MMMM	Month name	January
d	Day, one/two digits	23 or 9
dd	Day, two digits	23 or 09
ddd	Weekday abre	Tue
dddd	Weekday	Tuesday
h / H	Hour (12/24) one/two dig	12 or 9
hh / HH	Hour (12/24) two digits	12 or 09
m	Minute, one/two digits	49 or 9
mm	Minute, two digits	49 or 09
s	Second, one/two digits	49 or 9
ss	Second, two digits	49 or 09
:,/,-	allowed devider to format	13:21

in difference to Delphis FormatDateTime 'M' means Month, and 'm' means Minute, 'h' is 12 based Hour, 'H' is 24 based Hour. Its like Microsoft Format Specifier.

Alternative Call NetFormat

test:= TNetFormat.Str('Hallo {0} {1:D2} {2:dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss}', 'Test', 2.2, testdate.Now)

Debug

for fast and easy debugging an TDebug.Print Funktion is added. It work like the TNetFormat.Str method.

test:= Debug.Print('Hallo {0} {1:D2} {2:dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss}', 'Test', 2.2, testdate.Now)

DateTimeHelper

This lib is not related to the rest of the code, but it is very helpfull to handle TDateTime. Colin Johnsun, https://github.com/colinj, MIT License. If you own Delphi 11, a TDateTimeHelper is integrated in System.DateUtils with Update 2

Formatsettings

You can specifiy your own Formatsettings with 'fmt' (TFormatSettings or LCID):

test:= FStr('Hallo {0:F2}').fmt('de-DE').Params(2)

In the example above, FStr uses German Settings, '1,00 €' istead of '$1.00' for example. Default is your machine standard.

History

23.01.2024: Version 1.0

• first version :-)

25.01.2024: Version 2.0

• Old:

NetFormat.ToString('Hallo {0} {1:D4} {2} {3}',
                   'Welt', 55, 7.7, testdate);

• New: Format changed, I have found a more ellegant and slightly shorter Method:

TStr('Hallo {0} {1:D4} {2} {3}').
    Params('Welt', 55, 7.7, testdate);

• Structure changed from class to record
• some minors addes to README

28.01.2024: Version 3.0

• Old:

TStr('Hallo {0} {1:D4} {2} {3}').
    Params('Welt', 55, 7.7, testdate);

• New: TStr -> FStr, and old Format readded, beause some People wants a more Delphi-Format like command:

FStr('Hallo {0} {1:D4} {2} {3}').
               Params('Welt', 55, 7.7, testdate);
TNetFormat.TStr('Hallo {0} {1:D4} {2} {3}',
               'Welt', 55, 7.7, testdate);

• Namespace VTools added to avoid conficts
• Hex-Format added ("X")
• TFormatStettings Support
• Tests added
• 'writeln' to Example added, to also have an console output
• some minors changes to README

30.01.2024: Version 3.0.1

• Bugfix for compatiblility with <D12 Versions
• small fixes in readme
• moved readme, license, groupproj to root