Retrieving format string from Format object

Question

In Java is there a way to retrieve the format string from a Format object (or any derived classes)

In code:

Format f = new DecimalFormat("$0.00");
System.out.println(???);

Is there something I can use to get System.out.println(???); to print "$0.00".

I looked at toPattern(); but that function doesn't appear in the abstract Format class and the variable I'm working with can be anything that extends Format.

Answer 1

The pattern (if there is any at all) depends on the subclass of Format. There is no guarantee that a Format would even use a pattern for its formatting.

Edit: I'm not sure what you're trying to do, but if you need to persist a Format instance, it is Serializable.