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| Chapter 29 The java.text Package |

## 29.12 java.text.Format (JDK 1.1)

###

This abstract class is the base class for all number, date, and string formatting classes in the `java.text` package. It defines two abstract methods that are implemented by subclasses. `format()` converts an object to a string using the formatting rules encapsulated by the `Format` subclass and optionally appends the resulting string to an existing `StringBuffer`. `parseObject()` performs the reverse operation--it parses a formatted string and returns the corresponding object. Status information for these two operations is returned in `FieldPosition` and `ParsePosition` objects. The non-abstract methods of this class are simple shortcuts that rely on implementations of the abstract methods.

See `ChoiceFormat`, `DateFormat`, `MessageFormat`, and `NumberFormat`.

    public abstract class Format extends Object implements Serializable, Cloneable {
        // Default Constructor: public Format()
        // Public Instance Methods
                public Object clone();  // Overrides Object
                public final String format(Object obj);
                public abstract StringBuffer format(Object obj, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition pos);
                public abstract Object parseObject(String source, ParsePosition status);
                public Object parseObject(String source) throws ParseException;
    }

### Extended By:

DateFormat, MessageFormat, NumberFormat

### Passed To:

MessageFormat.setFormat(), MessageFormat.setFormats()

### Returned By:

MessageFormat.getFormats()

java.text.FieldPosition (JDK 1.1) |  | java.text.MessageFormat (JDK 1.1)