Name

DecimalFormat

Synopsis

This is the concrete Format class used by NumberFormat for all locales that use base 10 numbers. Most applications do not need to use this class directly; they can use the static methods of NumberFormat to obtain a default NumberFormat object for a desired locale and then perform minor locale-independent customizations on that object.

Applications that require highly customized number formatting and parsing may create custom DecimalFormat objects by passing a suitable pattern to the DecimalFormat( ) constructor method. The applyPattern( ) method can change this pattern. A pattern consists of a string of characters from the table below. For example:

"$#,##0.00;($#,##0.00)"

Character

Meaning

#

A digit; zeros show as absent.

0

A digit; zeros show as 0.

.

The locale-specific decimal separator.

,

The locale-specific grouping separator (comma).

-

The locale-specific negative prefix.

%

Shows value as a percentage.

;

Separates positive number format (on left) from optiona negative number format (on right).

'

Quotes a reserved character, so it appears literally in the output (apostrophe).

other

Appears literally in output.

A DecimalFormatSymbols object can be specified optionally when creating a DecimalFormat object. If one is not specified, a DecimalFormatSymbols object suitable for the default locale is used.

In Java 5.0, DecimalFormat can return java.math.BigDecimal values from its parse( ) method. Call setParseBigDecimal( ) to ...

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