Format a message using MessageFormat.format() in Java

Question

I have stored some messages in a resource bundle. I'm trying to format these messages as follows.

import java.text.MessageFormat;

String text = MessageFormat.format("You're about to delete {0} rows.", 5);
System.out.println(text);

Assume that the first parameter i.e the actual message is stored in a property file which is somehow retrieved.

The second parameter i.e 5 is a dynamic value and should be placed in the placeholder {0} which doesn't happen. The next line prints,

Youre about to delete {0} rows.

The placeholder is not replaced with the actual parameter.

It is the apostrophe here - You're. I have tried to escape it as usual like You\\'re though it didn't work. What changes are needed to make it work?

Reimeus · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-21T20:19:47.403

155

Add an extra apostrophe ' to the MessageFormat pattern String to ensure the ' character is displayed

String text = 
     java.text.MessageFormat.format("You''re about to delete {0} rows.", 5);
                                         ^

An apostrophe (aka single quote) in a MessageFormat pattern starts a quoted string and is not interpreted on its own. From the javadoc

A single quote itself must be represented by doubled single quotes '' throughout a String.

The String You\\'re is equivalent to adding a backslash character to the String so the only difference will be that You\re will be produced rather than Youre. (before double quote solution '' applied)

edited Nov 21 '15 at 20:19

answered Jul 10 '13 at 11:36

Reimeus

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Is there any other method to do format like this but not converting single quote to double single quote? because it is annoying. – Mostafa Vatanpour Feb 03 '18 at 13:44
Why in C # I do not need to do this? – Alex78191 Feb 18 '19 at 15:58

score 14 · Answer 2 · edited Jul 10 '13 at 12:39

Just be sure you have used double apostrophe ('')

String text = java.text.MessageFormat.format("You''re about to delete {0} rows.", 5);
System.out.println(text);

Edit:

Within a String, a pair of single quotes can be used to quote any arbitrary characters except single quotes. For example, pattern string "'{0}'" represents string "{0}", not a FormatElement. ...

Any unmatched quote is treated as closed at the end of the given pattern. For example, pattern string "'{0}" is treated as pattern "'{0}'".

Source http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/MessageFormat.html

score 6 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 10 '13 at 11:45

6

You need to use double apostrophe instead of single in the "You''re", eg:

String text = java.text.MessageFormat.format("You''re about to delete {0} rows.", 5);
System.out.println(text);

edited Jul 10 '13 at 11:45

Rohit Jain

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answered Jul 10 '13 at 11:38

FOOM

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score 5 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 14 '17 at 17:07

5

Using an apostrophe ’ (Unicode: \u2019) instead of a single quote ' fixed the issue without doubling the \'.

edited Dec 14 '17 at 17:07

Peter Tretyakov

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answered Dec 14 '17 at 16:47

T Efron

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score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 30 '14 at 09:49

3

For everyone that has Android problems in the string.xml, use \'\' instead of single quote.

answered Jul 30 '14 at 09:49

Uriel Frankel

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 16 '20 at 05:39

0

Here is a method that does not require editing the code and works regardless of the number of characters.

String text = 
  java.text.MessageFormat.format(
    "You're about to delete {0} rows.".replaceAll("'", "''"), 5);

answered Oct 16 '20 at 05:39

Viktor Wellboy

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Why replaceAll if it's not a regex? Can only use replace – Marcus Voltolim Oct 07 '21 at 21:19

Format a message using MessageFormat.format() in Java

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