String = Format$ ( Expression [ , Format ] )
String = Format ( Expression [ , Format ] )

Converts the Expression to a String by using a format that depends on the type of the Expression .

This function can format dates, times, numbers, and currencies.

Format can be a predefined format (an Integer constant) or a user-defined format (a String that depicts the format) or can be omitted.

See Predefined Constants for a list of predefined formats.

If Format is not specified, gb.Standard is used.

This function uses localization information.

User-defined formats for a numeric expression

A user-defined format is described by a sequence of special characters.

Arbitrary characters specified before and after the format strings will be printed as is

Characters for user-defined formats

+	Prints the sign of the number.
-	Prints the sign of the number only if it is negative.
#	Prints a digit only if necessary. 3.0 The number is left-padded with spaces so that the number of printed characters before the decimal point is greater or equal than the number of # before the decimal point.
0	Always prints a digit, padding with a zero if necessary.
.	Prints the decimal separator.
,	Prints the thousand separators.
%	Multiplies the number by 100 and prints a per-cent sign.
E	Introduces the exponential part of a Float number. The sign of the exponent is always printed.

Examples

User-defined format characters for currencies

$	Prints the national currency symbol.
$$	When the $ is doubled, the international currency symbol is printed instead.
(	Prints the representation of negative currencies. This must be the first character of the format. You can specify a closed brace ) at the end of the format.

User-defined format characters for dates

yy	Prints the year on two digits.
yyyy	Prints the year on four digits.
m	Prints the month.
mm	Prints the month on two digits.
mmm	Prints the month in an abbreviatted string form.
mmmm	Prints the month in its full string form.
d	Prints the day.
dd	Prints the day on two digits.
ddd	Prints the week day in an abbreviated form.
dddd	Prints the week day in its full form.
/	Prints the date separator.
h	Prints the hour.
hh	Prints the hour on two digits.
n	Prints the minutes.
nn	Prints the minutes on two digits.
s	Prints the seconds.
ss	Prints the seconds on two digits.
:	Prints the time separator.
u	Prints the milliseconds, if they are different from zero.