Using an Argument Index : Formatter Argument Index « Development « Java Tutorial

1. Java Tutorial
2. Development
3. Formatter Argument Index

Normally, format specifiers and arguments are matched in order, from left to right.

However, by using an argument index you can explicitly control which argument a format specifier matches.

An argument index immediately follows the % in a format specifier: n$, where n is the index of the desired argument, beginning with 1.

import java.util.Formatter;

public class MainClass {
  public static void main(String args[]) {
    Formatter fmt = new Formatter();

    fmt.format("%3$d %1$d %2$d", 10, 20, 30);
    System.out.println(fmt);

  }
}

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