---
alias: user-guide-string-formats
description: "This documentation details .Net-based string formatting options for critical manufacturing data, including numbers and dates"
---

# String Formats

## Overview

Critical Manufacturing MES string formats are based on .Net formats. This page includes basic information about .Net string formats.

!!! note
	This section contains information from the link: <https://blog.stevex.net/string-formatting-in-csharp/>

## Numbers

Basic number formatting specifiers:

| Specifier | Type | Format | Output (Passed Double 1.42) | Output (Passed Int -12400) |
|-----------|------|--------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|
| `c` | Currency | {0:c} | $1.42 | $12,400 |
| `d` | Decimal (Whole number) | {0:d} | System.FormatException | -12400 |
| `e` | Scientific | {0:e} | 1.420000E+000 | -1.240000E+004 |
| `f` | Fixed point | {0:f} | 1.42 | -12400.00 |
| `g` | General | {0:g} | 1.42 | -12400 |
| `n` | Number with commas for thousands | {0:n} | 1.42 | -12.4 |
| `r` | Round trippable | {0:r} | 1.42 | System.FormatException |
| `x` | Hexadecimal | {0:x4} | System.FormatException | cf90 |

Table: Number formatting

## Custom number formatting

| Specifier | Type | Example | Output (Passed Double 1500.42) | Note |
|-----------|------|---------|--------------------------------|------|
| `0` | Zero placeholder | {0:000.0000} | 1500.42 | Pads with zeros |
| `#` | Digit placeholder | {0:(#).##} | (1500).42 | Indicates an option digit. Zeros will be suppressed if not significant |
| `.` | Decimal point | {0:0.0} | 1500.4 | |
| `,` | Thousand separator | {0:0,0} | 1,500 | Must be between two zeros |
| `,.` | Number scaling | {0:0,.} | 2 | Comma adjacent to Period scales by 1000 |
| `%` | Percent | {0:0%} | 150042% | Multiplies by 100, adds % sign |
| `E` | Exponent placeholder | {0:00e+0} | 15E+2 | Many exponent formats available
| `;` | Group separator | see below | | |

Table: Custom number formatting

## Dates

### Basic date formatting specifiers

!!! info
	Note that date formatting is especially dependant on the system's regional settings.

| Specifier | Type | Example (PassedSystem.DateTime.Now) |
|---------|--------|--------|
| `d` | Short date | 10-12-2002 |
| `D` | Long date | December 10, 2002 |
| `t` | Short time | 10:11 PM |
| `T` | Long time | 10:11:29 PM |
| `f` | Full date & time | December 10, 2002 10:11 PM |
| `F` | Full date & time (long) | December 10, 2002 10:11:29 PM |
| `g` | Default date & time | 10-12-2002 22:11 |
| `G` | Default date & time (long) | 10-12-2002 22:11 |
| `M` | Month day pattern | December 10 |
| `r` | RFC1123 date string | Tue, 10 December 2002 22:11:29 GMT |
| `s` | Sortable date string | 2002-12-10T22:11:29 |
| `u` | Universal sortable, local time | 2002-12-10 22:13:50Z |
| `U` | Universal sortable, GMT | December 11, 2002 3:13:50 AM |
| `Y` | Year month pattern | December, 2002 |

Table: Basic date formatting specifiers

### Custom date formatting

| Specifier | Type | Example | Example Output |
|-----------|------|---------|----------------|
| `dd` | Day | {0:dd} | 10 |
| `ddd` | Day name | {0:ddd} | Tue |
| `dddd` | Full day name | {0:dddd} | Tuesday |
| `f`, `ff`, ... | Second fractions | {0:fff} | 932 |
| `gg`, ... | Era | {0:gg} | A.D. |
| `hh` | 2 digit hour | {0:hh} | 10 |
| `HH` | 2 digit hour, 24hr format | {0:HH} | 22 |
| `mm` | Minute 00-59 | {0:mm} | 38 |
| `MM` | Month 01-12 | {0:MM} | 12 |
| `MMM` | Month abbreviation | {0:MMM} | Dec |
| `MMMM` | Full month name | {0:MMMM} | December |
| `ss` | Seconds 00-59 | {0:ss} | 46 |
| `tt` | AM or PM | {0:tt} | PM |
| `yy` | Year, 2 digits | {0:yy} | 2 |
| `yyyy` | Year | {0:yyyy} | 2002 |
| `zz` | Timezone offset, 2 digits | {0:zz} | -5 |
| `zzz` | Full timezone offset | {0:zzz} | -05:00 |
| `:` | Separator | {0:hh:mm:ss} | 10:43:20 |
| `/` | Separator | {0:dd/MM/yyyy} | 10-12-2002 |

Table: Custom date formatting