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| Chapter 16 The java.text Package |

# DecimalFormat

## Name

DecimalFormat

## Synopsis

Class Name:

  `java.text.DecimalFormat`

Superclass:

  `java.text.NumberFormat`

Immediate Subclasses:

  None

Interfaces Implemented:

  None

Availability:

  New as of JDK 1.1

## Description

The `DecimalFormat` class is a concrete subclass of `NumberFormat` that formats and parses numbers using a formatting pattern. Typically, you do not need to instantiate `DecimalFormat` yourself. Instead, the factory methods of `NumberFormat` return instances of `DecimalFormat` that are appropriate for particular locales.

However, if you need a specialized number format, you can instantiate your own `DecimalFormat` using a pattern string. You can also modify the formatting pattern of an existing `DecimalFormat` object using the `applyPattern()` method. A pattern string has the following form:

    positive-pattern[;negative-pattern]

If the negative pattern is omitted, negative numbers are formatted using the positive pattern with a `-` character prepended to the result. Each pattern has the following form:

    [prefix]integer[.fraction][suffix]

The following symbols are significant in the pattern string.

Symbol | Description
--- | ---
`0` | A digit
`#` | A digit where 0 is not shown
`.` | A placeholder for a decimal separator
`,` | A placeholder for a grouping separator
`;` | The format separator
`-` | The default negative prefix
`%` | Divides value by 100 and shows as a percentage

Any characters other than these special characters can appear in the prefix or the suffix. A single quote can be used to escape a special character, if you need to use one of these symbols in a prefix or a suffix.

For example, the pattern string for U.S. currency values is:

    $#,##0.00;($#,##0.00)

This indicates that a `$` character is prepended to all formatted values. The grouping separator character `,` is inserted every three digits. Exactly two digits after the decimal place are always shown. Negative values are shown in parentheses. Thus, the value `-1234.56` produces output like:

    ($1,234.56)

Internally, the `DecimalFormat` class uses a `DecimalFormatSymbols` object to get the numerical strings that are appropriate for a particular locale. If you want to modify these strings, you can get the `DecimalFormatSymbols` object by calling `getDecimalFormatSymbols()`.

## Class Summary

    public class java.text.DecimalFormat extends java.text.NumberFormat {
      // Constructors
      public DecimalFormat();
      public DecimalFormat(String pattern);
      public DecimalFormat(String pattern, DecimalFormatSymbols symbols);
      // Instance Methods
      public void applyLocalizedPattern(String pattern);
      public void applyPattern(String pattern);
      public Object clone();
      public boolean equals(Object obj);
      public StringBuffer format(double number, StringBuffer result,
                          FieldPosition fieldPosition);
      public StringBuffer format(long number, StringBuffer result,
                          FieldPosition fieldPosition);
      public DecimalFormatSymbols getDecimalFormatSymbols();
      public int getGroupingSize();
      public int getMultiplier();
      public String getNegativePrefix();
      public String getNegativeSuffix();
      public String getPositivePrefix();
      public String getPositiveSuffix();
      public int hashCode();
      public boolean isDecimalSeparatorAlwaysShown();
      public Number parse(String text, ParsePosition status);
      public void setDecimalFormatSymbols(DecimalFormatSymbols newSymbols);
      public void setDecimalSeparatorAlwaysShown(boolean newValue);
      public void setGroupingSize(int newValue);
      public void setMultiplier(int newValue);
      public void setNegativePrefix(String newValue);
      public void setNegativeSuffix(String newValue);
      public void setPositivePrefix(String newValue);
      public void setPositiveSuffix(String newValue);
      public String toLocalizedPattern();
      public String toPattern();
    }

## Constructors

### DecimalFormat

#### public DecimalFormat()

Description

  This constructor creates a `DecimalFormat` that uses the default formatting pattern and `DecimalFormatSymbols` that are appropriate for the default locale.

#### public DecimalFormat(String pattern)

Parameters

  `pattern`

    The pattern string.

Description

  This constructor creates a `DecimalFormat` that uses the given formatting pattern and a `DecimalFormatSymbols` that is appropriate for the default locale.

#### public DecimalFormat(String pattern, DecimalFormatSymbols symbols)

Parameters

  `pattern`

    The pattern string.

  `symbols`

    The `DecimalFormatSymbols` to use.

Description

  This constructor creates a `DecimalFormat` that uses the given formatting pattern and `DecimalFormatSymbols` object.

## Instance Methods

### applyLocalizedPattern

#### public void applyLocalizedPattern(String pattern)

Parameters

  `pattern`

    The pattern string.

Description

  This method tells this `DecimalFormat` to use the given formatting pattern to format and parse numbers. The pattern string is assumed to have been localized to the `DecimalFormatSymbols` object this `DecimalFormat` uses.

### applyPattern

#### public void applyPattern(String pattern)

Parameters

  `pattern`

    The pattern string.

Description

  This method tells this `DecimalFormat` to use the given formatting pattern to format and parse numbers. The pattern string is localized to the `DecimalFormatSymbols` object this `DecimalFormat` uses.

### clone

#### public Object clone()

Returns

  A copy of this `DecimalFormat`.

Overrides

  `NumberFormat.clone()`

Description

  This method creates a copy of this `DecimalFormat` and then returns it.

### equals

#### public boolean equals(Object obj)

Parameters

  `obj`

    The object to be compared with this object.

Returns

  `true` if the objects are equal; `false` if they are not.

Overrides

  `NumberFormat.equals()`

Description

  This method returns `true` if `obj` is an instance of `DecimalFormat` and is equivalent to this `DecimalFormat`.

### format

####

     public StringBuffer format(double number, StringBuffer result, FieldPosition fieldPosition)

Parameters

  `number`

    The `double` value to be formatted.

  `result`

    A `StringBuffer` on which to append the formatted information.

  `fieldPosition`

    A number field.

Returns

  The given buffer `result` with the formatted representation of the number appended to it.

Overrides

  `NumberFormat.format(double,` `StringBuffer,` `FieldPosition)`

Description

  This method formats the given number and appends the result to the given `StringBuffer`. If `fieldPosition` refers to one of the number fields, its beginning and ending indices are filled with the beginning and ending positions of the given field in the resulting formatted string.

####

     public StringBuffer format(long number, StringBuffer result, FieldPosition fieldPosition)

Parameters

  `number`

    The `long` value to be formatted.

  `result`

    A `StringBuffer` on which to append the formatted information.

  `fieldPosition`

    A number field.

Returns

  The given buffer `result` with the formatted representation of the number appended to it.

Overrides

  `NumberFormat.format(double,` `StringBuffer,` `FieldPosition)`

Description

  This method formats the given number and appends the result to the given `StringBuffer`. If `fieldPosition` refers to one of the number fields, its beginning and ending indices are filled with the beginning and ending positions of the given field in the resulting formatted string.

### getDecimalFormatSymbols

#### public DecimalFormatSymbols getDecimalFormatSymbols()

Returns

  The `DecimalFormatSymbols` object used by this `DecimalFormat`.

Description

  This method returns the `DecimalFormatSymbols` object that this `DecimalFormat` uses internally.

### getGroupingSize

#### public int getGroupingSize()

Returns

  The grouping size of this `DecimalFormat`.

Description

  This method returns the grouping size of this `DecimalFormat`. The grouping size is the number of digits between grouping separators in the integer portion of a number. For example, in the number `1,234.56`, the grouping size is `3` (and the grouping symbol is ",").

### getMultiplier

#### public int getMultiplier()

Returns

  The multiplier of this `DecimalFormat`.

Description

  This method returns the multiplier of this `DecimalFormat`. The multiplier is used to adjust a number before it is formatted or after it is parsed. For example, a percent format has a multiplier of 100 and a suffix of ``%`'. Thus, a value of `.42` could be formatted as `42%`.

### getNegativePrefix

#### public String getNegativePrefix()

Returns

  The string that is prepended to negative values.

Description

  This method returns the prefix string for negative numbers.

### getNegativeSuffix

#### public String getNegativeSuffix()

Returns

  The string that is appended to negative values.

Description

  This method returns the suffix string for negative numbers.

### getPositivePrefix

#### public String getPositivePrefix()

Returns

  The string that is prepended to positive values.

Description

  This method returns the prefix string for positive numbers.

### getPositiveSuffix

#### public String getPositiveSuffix()

Returns

  The string that is appended to positive values.

Description

  This method returns the suffix string for positive numbers.

### hashCode

#### public int hashCode()

Returns

  A hashcode for this object.

Overrides

  `NumberFormat.hashCode()`

Description

  This method returns a hashcode for this `DecimalFormat`.

### isDecimalSeparatorAlwaysShown

#### public boolean isDecimalSeparatorAlwaysShown()

Returns

  A `boolean` value that indicates whether or not the decimal separator symbol is always shown.

Description

  This method returns `true` if this `DecimalFormat` always shows the decimal separator. The method returns `false` if the decimal separator is only shown if there is a fractional portion of the number being formatted.

### parse

#### public Number parse(String text, ParsePosition status)

Parameters

  `text`

    The string to be parsed.

  `status`

    A `ParsePosition` object that specifies a position in the string.

Returns

  The `Number` object represented by the text starting at the given position.

Overrides

  `NumberFormat.parse(String, ParsePosition)`

Description

  This method parses a number from the given string, starting from the given position. After the string has been parsed, the given `ParsePosition` object is updated so that its index is after the parsed text.

### setDecimalFormatSymbols

####

     public void setDecimalFormatSymbols( DecimalFormatSymbols newSymbols)

Parameters

  `newSymbols`

    The new `DecimalFormatSymbols` object to use.

Description

  This method sets the `DecimalFormatSymbols` object that this `DecimalFormat` uses internally.

### setDecimalSeparatorAlwaysShown

#### public void setDecimalSeparatorAlwaysShown(boolean newValue)

Parameters

  `newValue`

    The new decimal separator value.

Description

  This method specifies whether or not the decimal separator symbol is always shown in formatted numbers. If `newValue` is `false`, the separator is only shown for numbers that have a fractional part. Otherwise, the separator is always shown.

### setGroupingSize

#### public void setGroupingSize(int newValue)

Parameters

  `newValue`

    The new grouping size.

Description

  This method sets the grouping size of this `DecimalFormat`. The grouping size is the number of digits between grouping separators in the integer portion of a number. For example, in the number `1,234.56`, the grouping size is `3` (and the grouping symbol is ",").

### setMultiplier

#### public void setMultiplier(int newValue)

Parameters

  `newValue`

    The new multiplier.

Description

  This method sets the multiplier of this `DecimalFormat`. The multiplier is used to adjust a number before it is formatted or after it is parsed. For example, a percent format has a multiplier of 100 and a suffix of `%`. Thus, a value of `.42` could be formatted as `42%`.

### setNegativePrefix

#### public void setNegativePrefix(String newValue)

Parameters

  `newValue`

    The new prefix.

Description

  This method sets the prefix string for negative values.

### setNegativeSuffix

#### public void setNegativeSuffix(String newValue)

Parameters

  `newValue`

    The new suffix.

Description

  This method sets the suffix string for negative values.

### setPositivePrefix

#### public void setPositivePrefix(String newValue)

Parameters

  `newValue`

    The new prefix.

Description

  This method sets the prefix string for positive values.

### setPositiveSuffix

#### public void setPositiveSuffix(String newValue)

Parameters

  `newValue`

    The new suffix.

Description

  This method sets the suffix string for positive values.

### toLocalizedPattern

#### public String toLocalizedPattern()

Returns

  The pattern string of this `DecimalFormat`.

Description

  This method returns the pattern string of this `DecimalFormat`, localized with the `DecimalFormatSymbols` object of this `DecimalFormat`.

### toPattern

#### public String toPattern()

Returns

  The pattern string of this `DecimalFormat`.

Description

  This method returns the pattern string of this `DecimalFormat`.

## Inherited Methods

Method | Inherited From | Method | Inherited From
--- | --- | --- | ---
`finalize()` | `Object` | `format(double)` | `NumberFormat`
`format(long)` | `NumberFormat` | `format(Object, StringBuffer, FieldPosition)` | `NumberFormat`
`getClass()` | `Object` | `getMaximumFractionDigits()` | `NumberFormat`
`getMaximumIntegerDigits()` | `NumberFormat` | `getMinimumFractionDigits()` | `NumberFormat`
`getMinimumIntegerDigits()` | `NumberFormat` | `isGroupingUsed()` | `NumberFormat`
`isParseIntegerOnly()` | `NumberFormat` | `notify()` | `Object`
`notifyAll()` | `Object` | `parse(String)` | `NumberFormat`
`parseObject(String)` | `Format` | `parseObject(String, ParsePosition)` | `NumberFormat`
`setGroupingUsed(boolean)` | `NumberFormat` | `setMaximumFractionDigits(int)` | `NumberFormat`
`setMaximumIntegerDigits(int)` | `NumberFormat` | `setMinimumFractionDigits(int)` | `NumberFormat`
`setMinimumIntegerDigits(int)` | `NumberFormat` | `setParseIntegerOnly(boolean)` | `NumberFormat`
`toString()` | `Object` | `wait()` | `Object`
`wait(long)` | `Object` | `wait(long, int)` | `Object`

## See Also

`DecimalFormatSymbols`, `FieldPosition`, `Number`, `NumberFormat`, `ParsePosition`, `String`, `StringBuffer`

DateFormatSymbols |  | DecimalFormatSymbols