NAME

       String::Errf - a simple sprintf-like dialect

VERSION

       version 0.007

SYNOPSIS

         use String::Errf qw(errf);

         print errf "This process was started at %{start}t with %{args;argument}n.\n",
           { start => $^T, args => 0 + @ARGV };

       ...might print something like:

         This process was started at 2010-10-17 14:05:29 with 0 arguments.

DESCRIPTION

       String::Errf provides "errf", a simple string formatter that works something like
       "sprintf".  It is implemented using String::Formatter and Sub::Exporter.  Their
       documentation may be useful in understanding or extending String::Errf.  The "errf"
       subroutine is only available when imported.  Calling String::Errf::errf will not do what
       you want.

DIFFERENCES FROM SPRINTF

       The data passed to "errf" should be organized in a single hashref, not a list.

       Formatting codes require named parameters, and the available codes are different.  See
       "FORMATTING CODES" below.

       As with most String::Formatter formatters, "%" is not a format code.  If you want a
       literal "%", do not put anything between the two percent signs, just write "%%".

   FORMATTING CODES
       "errf" formatting codes require a set of arguments between the "%" and the formatting code
       letter.  These arguments are placed in curly braces and separated by semicolons.  The
       first argument is the name of the data to look for in the format data.  For example, this
       is a valid use of "errf":

         errf "The current time in %{tz}s is %{now;local}t.", {
           tz  => $ENV{TZ},
           now => time,
         };

       The second argument, if present, may be a compact form for multiple named arguments.  The
       rest of the arguments will be named values in the form "name=value".  The examples below
       should help clarify how arguments are passed.  When an argument appears in both a compact
       and named form, the named form trumps the compact form.

       The specific codes and their arguments are:

       s for string

       The "s" format code is for any string, and takes no arguments.  It just includes the named
       item from the input data.

         errf "%{name}s", { name => 'John Smith' }; # returns "John Smith"

       Remember, "errf" does not have any of the left- or right-padding formatting that "sprintf"
       provides.  It is not meant for building tables, only strings.

       i for integer

       The "i" format code is used for integers.  It takes one optional argument, "prefix", which
       defaults to the empty string.  "prefix" may be given as the compact argument, standing
       alone.  "prefix" is used to prefix non-negative integers.  It may only be a plus sign.

         errf "%{x}i",    { x => 10 }; # returns "10"
         errf "%{x;+}i",  { x => 10 }; # returns "+10"

         errf "%{x;prefix=+}i",  { x => 10 }; # returns "+10"

       The rounding behavior for non-integer values is not currently specified.

       f for float (or fractional)

       The "f" format code is for numbers with sub-integer precision.  It works just like "i",
       but adds a "precision" argument which specifies how many decimal places of precision to
       display.  The compact argument may be just the prefix or the prefix followed by a period
       followed by the precision.

         errf "%{x}f",     { x => 10.1234 }; # returns "10";
         errf "%{x;+}f",   { x => 10.1234 }; # returns "+10";

         errf "%{x;.2}f",  { x => 10.1234 }; # returns  "10.12";
         errf "%{x;+.2}f", { x => 10.1234 }; # returns "+10.12";

         errf "%{x;precision=.2}f",          { x => 10.1234 }; # returns  "10.12";
         errf "%{x;prefix=+;precision=.2}f", { x => 10.1234 }; # returns "+10.12";

       t for time

       The "t" format code is used to format timestamps provided in epoch seconds.  It can be
       given two arguments: "type" and "tz".

       "type" can be either date, time, or datetime, and indicates what part of the timestamp
       should be displayed.  The default is datetime.  "tz" requests that the timestamp be
       displayed in either UTC or the local time zone.  The default is local.

       The compact form is just "type" alone.

         # Assuming our local time zone is America/New_York...

         errf "%{x}t",               { x => 1280530906 }; # "2010-07-30 19:01:46"
         errf "%{x;type=date}t",     { x => 1280530906 }; # "2010-07-30"
         errf "%{x;type=time}t",     { x => 1280530906 }; # "19:01:46"
         errf "%{x;type=datetime}t", { x => 1280530906 }; # "2010-07-30 19:01:46"

         errf "%{x;tz=UTC}t",               { x => 1280530906 }; # "2010-07-30 23:01:46 UTC"
         errf "%{x;tz=UTC;type=date}t",     { x => 1280530906 }; # "2010-07-30 UTC"
         errf "%{x;tz=UTC;type=time}t",     { x => 1280530906 }; # "23:01:46 UTC"
         errf "%{x;tz=UTC;type=datetime}t", { x => 1280530906 }; # "2010-07-30 23:01:46 UTC"

       n and N for numbered

       The "n" and "N" format codes are for picking words based on number.  It takes two of its
       own arguments, "singular" and "plural", as well as "prefix" and "precision" which may be
       used for formatting the number itself.

       If the value being formatted is 1, the singular word is used.  Otherwise, the plural form
       is used.

         errf "%{x;singular=dog;plural=dogs}n", { x => 0 }; # 0 dogs
         errf "%{x;singular=dog;plural=dogs}n", { x => 1 }; # 1 dog
         errf "%{x;singular=dog;plural=dogs}n", { x => 2 }; # 2 dogs

         errf "%{x;singular=dog;plural=dogs}n", { x => 1.4 }; # 1.4 dogs
         errf "%{x;singular=dog;plural=dogs;precision=1}n", { x => 1.4 }; # 1.4 dogs
         errf "%{x;singular=dog;plural=dogs;precision=0}n", { x => 1.4 }; # 1 dog

       If "N" is used instead of "n", the number will not be included, only the chosen word.

         errf "%{x;singular=is;plural=are}N", { x => 0 }; # are
         errf "%{x;singular=is;plural=are}N", { x => 1 }; # is
         errf "%{x;singular=is;plural=are}N", { x => 2 }; # are

         errf "%{x;singular=is;plural=are}N", { x => 1.4 }; # 1.4 are
         errf "%{x;singular=is;plural=are;precision=1}N", { x => 1.4 }; # 1.4 are
         errf "%{x;singular=is;plural=are;precision=0}N", { x => 1.4 }; # 1 is

       The compact form may take any of the following forms:

         word          - equivalent to singular=word

         word+suffix   - equivalent to singular=word;plural=wordsuffix

         word1/word2   - equivalent to singular=word;plural=word2

       If no singular form is given, an exception is thrown.  If no plural form is given, one
       will be generated according to some basic rules of English noun orthography.

AUTHOR

       Ricardo Signes <rjbs@cpan.org>

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

       This software is copyright (c) 2013 by Ricardo Signes.

       This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as
       the Perl 5 programming language system itself.