string.format format string containing {

Question

Is there a way for the format string used in a call to string.format to contain a { character that is not used for substring insertion?

For example how could I do this...

string.format("my format has this { in it {0}", abc);

returning...

"my format has this { in it abc"

I need to do this as the string I am creating in HTML and will contan a script block of javascript.

Thank you

possible duplicate of [Output '{' or '}' with string.format(...)](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2361742/output-or-with-string-format) — Conrad Frix, Dec 06 '11 at 15:37
It should be noted that there's an entire section on this in the documentation: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/txafckwd.aspx — phoog, Dec 06 '11 at 15:38

score 14 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:35

14

Yup, you just need to double it:

string.Format("my format has this {{ in it {0}", abc);

See the "escaping braces" section on the MSDN page for Composite Formatting for more details.

answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:35

Jon Skeet

So, for the OP's use-case he'll need to use `{{` and `}}` throughout his JavaScript. Or pre-process it. Gross. – Yuck Dec 06 '11 at 15:37
1

I didn't know that. I thought *everything* was escaped with \ – Robert Harvey Dec 06 '11 at 15:37
1

@Yuck: ... or just don't use format strings to produce Javascript, to be honest... – Jon Skeet Dec 06 '11 at 15:38

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:36

4

Double it up to escape it. So "{{" will work properly and will output from the string.format as a single "{"

answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:36

Tarwn

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:37

4

Use double {{ brace in your format string.

answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:37

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:36

2

Here's an article that explains how to escape the curly brace in string.format with a few examples and some good reading.

EDIT: Adding useful text to accompany link :)

answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:36

user1231231412

Please provide some detail in your answers to accompany any links. – Yuck Dec 06 '11 at 15:37
@Yuck, by the time I refreshed the page was full of answers so thought the added text was useless but good call none the less. – user1231231412 Dec 06 '11 at 15:42

score -2 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:36

-2

it is called escaping. mostly you do a \ in front of the odd char

answered Dec 06 '11 at 15:36

nico

5 Answers5