Java Equivalent to .NET's String.Format

Question

Is there an equivalent to .NET's String.Format in Java?

Answer 1

The 10 cent answer to this is:

C#'s

 String.Format("{0} -- {1} -- {2}", ob1, ob2, ob3) 

is equivalent to Java's

 String.format("%1$s -- %2$s -- %3$s", ob1, ob2, ob3) 

Note the 1-based index, and the "s" means to convert to string using .toString(). There are many other conversions available and formatting options:

http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/util/Formatter.html#syntax

Answer 2

Have a look at the String.format and PrintStream.format methods.

Both are based on the java.util.Formatter class.

String.format example:

Calendar c = new GregorianCalendar(1995, MAY, 23); String s = String.format("Duke's Birthday: %1$tm %1$te,%1$tY", c); // -> s == "Duke's Birthday: May 23, 1995" 

System.out.format example:

// Writes a formatted string to System.out. System.out.format("Local time: %tT", Calendar.getInstance()); // -> "Local time: 13:34:18"