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<h3 class="section">12.12 Formatted Output</h3>

<p><a name="index-format-string_002c-for-_0040code_007bprintf_007d-1015"></a><a name="index-template_002c-for-_0040code_007bprintf_007d-1016"></a><a name="index-formatted-output-to-a-stream-1017"></a><a name="index-writing-to-a-stream_002c-formatted-1018"></a>The functions described in this section (<code>printf</code> and related
functions) provide a convenient way to perform formatted output.  You
call <code>printf</code> with a <dfn>format string</dfn> or <dfn>template string</dfn>
that specifies how to format the values of the remaining arguments.

   <p>Unless your program is a filter that specifically performs line- or
character-oriented processing, using <code>printf</code> or one of the other
related functions described in this section is usually the easiest and
most concise way to perform output.  These functions are especially
useful for printing error messages, tables of data, and the like.

<ul class="menu">
<li><a accesskey="1" href="Formatted-Output-Basics.html#Formatted-Output-Basics">Formatted Output Basics</a>:      Some examples to get you started. 
<li><a accesskey="2" href="Output-Conversion-Syntax.html#Output-Conversion-Syntax">Output Conversion Syntax</a>:     General syntax of conversion
                                 specifications. 
<li><a accesskey="3" href="Table-of-Output-Conversions.html#Table-of-Output-Conversions">Table of Output Conversions</a>:  Summary of output conversions and
                                 what they do. 
<li><a accesskey="4" href="Integer-Conversions.html#Integer-Conversions">Integer Conversions</a>:          Details about formatting of integers. 
<li><a accesskey="5" href="Floating_002dPoint-Conversions.html#Floating_002dPoint-Conversions">Floating-Point Conversions</a>:   Details about formatting of
                                 floating-point numbers. 
<li><a accesskey="6" href="Other-Output-Conversions.html#Other-Output-Conversions">Other Output Conversions</a>:     Details about formatting of strings,
                                 characters, pointers, and the like. 
<li><a accesskey="7" href="Formatted-Output-Functions.html#Formatted-Output-Functions">Formatted Output Functions</a>:   Descriptions of the actual functions. 
<li><a accesskey="8" href="Dynamic-Output.html#Dynamic-Output">Dynamic Output</a>: 		Functions that allocate memory for the output. 
<li><a accesskey="9" href="Variable-Arguments-Output.html#Variable-Arguments-Output">Variable Arguments Output</a>:    <code>vprintf</code> and friends. 
<li><a href="Parsing-a-Template-String.html#Parsing-a-Template-String">Parsing a Template String</a>:    What kinds of args does a given template
                                 call for? 
<li><a href="Example-of-Parsing.html#Example-of-Parsing">Example of Parsing</a>:           Sample program using <code>parse_printf_format</code>. 
</ul>

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