Printf and sscanf examples

This example shows how to use the printf() and sscanf() functions.
(You can also replace printf() with sprintf() to return a result instead of printing it).

More detailed informations: php.net

$file = "test.txt"; $lines = 7;
printf("The file %s consists of %d lines\n", $file, $lines);
// returns --> The file test.txt consists of 7 lines


// padding something, prefix a string with "_"
$word = 'foobar';
printf("%'_10s\n", $word);
// returns --> ____foobar


// format a number:
$number = 100.85995;
printf("%03d\n", $number); // returns --> 100
printf("%01.2f\n", $number); // returns --> 100.86
printf("%01.3f\n", $number); // returns --> 100.860


// parse a string with sscanf #1
list($number) = sscanf("ID/1234567","ID/%d");
print "$number\n";
// returns --> 1234567


// parse a string with sscanf #2
$test = "string 1234 string 5678";
$result = sscanf($test, "%s %d %s %d");

print_r($result);

/*

--> returns:

Array
(
    [0] => string
    [1] => 1234
    [2] => string
    [3] => 5678
)

*/