FB_FormatString2

This function block can be used for converting up to 10 arguments (similar to fprintf) into a string and formatting them according to the format specification (e.g. '%+20.5f' or 'Measure X: %+.10d, Y: %+.10d'). The formatting takes place in the same PLC cycle. This means that the output string is available immediately after calling the function block.

As opposed to the function block FB_FormatString, the size of the format string and the output string is not limited to 255 characters. However, each argument is limited to a representation of 250 characters at the most. The function block returns an error if the number of characters is exceeded or if the output string is too small for the formatted character string.

Inputs

VAR_INPUT
    pFormatString : POINTER TO STRING;
    arg1          : T_Arg;
    arg2          : T_Arg;
    arg3          : T_Arg;
    arg4          : T_Arg;
    arg5          : T_Arg;
    arg6          : T_Arg;
    arg7          : T_Arg;
    arg8          : T_Arg;
    arg9          : T_Arg;
    arg10         : T_Arg;
    pDstString    : POINTER TO STRING;
    nDstSize      : UDINT;
END_VAR

Name	Type	Description
pFormatString	STRING	Pointer to the format specification as a string. The address must be assigned each time the function block is called. The operator ADR() can be used for the assignment.
arg1 to arg10	T_Arg	Arguments to be formatted. The following helper functions can be used to convert PLC variables of different types into the required data type T_Arg: F_BYTE, F_WORD, F_DWORD, F_LWORD, F_SINT, F_INT, F_DINT, F_LINT, F_USINT, F_UINT, F_UDINT, F_ULINT, F_STRING, F_REAL, F_LREAL.
pDstString	STRING	Pointer to the resulting STRING variable. If successful, the formatted character string will be written here. The address must be assigned each time the function block is called. The operator ADR() can be used for the assignment.
nDstSize	UDINT	Size of the resulting STRING variable in bytes. The operator SIZEOF() can be used for the assignment.

Outputs

VAR_OUTPUT
    bError : BOOL;
    nErrId : UDINT;
END_VAR

Name	Type	Description
bError	BOOL	TRUE if an error occurred during the formatting.
nErrId	UDINT	Returns the Format error code if the bError output is set.

Example

PROGRAM MAIN
VAR
    fbFormat   : FB_FormatString2;
    sFormat    : STRING := 'Measure X: %+.10d, Y: %+.10d';
    iY         : DINT;
    iX         : DINT;
    bError     : BOOL;
    nErrID     : UDINT;
    sOut       : STRING(600);
END_VAR

iX := iX + 1;
iY := iY + 1;
fbFormat( pFormatString := ADR(sFormat), arg1 := F_DINT( iX ), arg2 := F_DINT( iY ), pDstString := ADR(sOut), nDstSize := SIZEOF(sOut), bError => bError, nErrID => nErrID );

Result:

sOut = 'Measure X: +0000000130, Y: +0000000130'

Requirements

Development environment	Target platform	PLC libraries to be integrated (category group)
TwinCAT v3.1.4022	PC or CX (x86, x64, ARM)	Tc2_Utilities (System) >=3.3.35.0