MessageFormat prepares strings for display to users, * with optional arguments (variables/placeholders). * The arguments can occur in any order, which is necessary for translation * into languages with different grammars. * *
A MessageFormat is constructed from a pattern string * with arguments in {curly braces} which will be replaced by formatted values. * *
MessageFormat differs from the other Format * classes in that you create a MessageFormat object with one * of its constructors (not with a createInstance style factory * method). Factory methods aren't necessary because MessageFormat * itself doesn't implement locale-specific behavior. Any locale-specific * behavior is defined by the pattern that you provide and the * subformats used for inserted arguments. * *
MessageFormat
Format
createInstance
Arguments can be named (using identifiers) or numbered (using small ASCII-digit integers). * Some of the API methods work only with argument numbers and throw an exception * if the pattern has named arguments (see {@link #usesNamedArguments()}). * *
An argument might not specify any format type. In this case, * a Number value is formatted with a default (for the locale) NumberFormat, * a Date value is formatted with a default (for the locale) DateFormat, * and for any other value its toString() value is used. * *
An argument might specify a "simple" type for which the specified * Format object is created, cached and used. * *
An argument might have a "complex" type with nested MessageFormat sub-patterns. * During formatting, one of these sub-messages is selected according to the argument value * and recursively formatted. * *
After construction, a custom Format object can be set for * a top-level argument, overriding the default formatting and parsing behavior * for that argument. * However, custom formatting can be achieved more simply by writing * a typeless argument in the pattern string * and supplying it with a preformatted string value. * *
When formatting, MessageFormat takes a collection of argument values * and writes an output string. * The argument values may be passed as an array * (when the pattern contains only numbered arguments) * or as an array of names and and an array of arguments (which works for both named * and numbered arguments). * *
Each argument is matched with one of the input values by array index or argument name * and formatted according to its pattern specification * (or using a custom Format object if one was set). * A numbered pattern argument is matched with an argument name that contains that number * as an ASCII-decimal-digit string (without leading zero). * *
* message = messageText (argument messageText)* * argument = noneArg | simpleArg | complexArg * complexArg = choiceArg | pluralArg | selectArg | selectordinalArg * * noneArg = '{' argNameOrNumber '}' * simpleArg = '{' argNameOrNumber ',' argType [',' argStyle] '}' * choiceArg = '{' argNameOrNumber ',' "choice" ',' choiceStyle '}' * pluralArg = '{' argNameOrNumber ',' "plural" ',' pluralStyle '}' * selectArg = '{' argNameOrNumber ',' "select" ',' selectStyle '}' * selectordinalArg = '{' argNameOrNumber ',' "selectordinal" ',' pluralStyle '}' * * choiceStyle: see {@link ChoiceFormat} * pluralStyle: see {@link PluralFormat} * selectStyle: see {@link SelectFormat} * * argNameOrNumber = argName | argNumber * argName = [^[[:Pattern_Syntax:][:Pattern_White_Space:]]]+ * argNumber = '0' | ('1'..'9' ('0'..'9')*) * * argType = "number" | "date" | "time" | "spellout" | "ordinal" | "duration" * argStyle = "short" | "medium" | "long" | "full" | "integer" | "currency" | "percent" | argStyleText *
Recommendation: Use the real apostrophe (single quote) character * \htmlonly’\endhtmlonly (U+2019) for * human-readable text, and use the ASCII apostrophe ' (U+0027) * only in program syntax, like quoting in MessageFormat. * See the annotations for U+0027 Apostrophe in The Unicode Standard. * *
The choice argument type is deprecated. * Use plural arguments for proper plural selection, * and select arguments for simple selection among a fixed set of choices. * *
choice
plural
select
The argType and argStyle values are used to create * a Format instance for the format element. The following * table shows how the values map to Format instances. Combinations not * shown in the table are illegal. Any argStyleText must * be a valid pattern string for the Format subclass used. * *
argType
argStyle
argStyleText
null
number
NumberFormat.createInstance(getLocale(), status)
integer
NumberFormat.createInstance(getLocale(), kNumberStyle, status)
currency
NumberFormat.createCurrencyInstance(getLocale(), status)
percent
NumberFormat.createPercentInstance(getLocale(), status)
new DecimalFormat(argStyleText, new DecimalFormatSymbols(getLocale(), status), status)
date
DateFormat.createDateInstance(kDefault, getLocale(), status)
short
DateFormat.createDateInstance(kShort, getLocale(), status)
medium
long
DateFormat.createDateInstance(kLong, getLocale(), status)
full
DateFormat.createDateInstance(kFull, getLocale(), status)
new SimpleDateFormat(argStyleText, getLocale(), status) * * time * (none) * DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kDefault, getLocale(), status) * * short * DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kShort, getLocale(), status) * * medium * DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kDefault, getLocale(), status) * * long * DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kLong, getLocale(), status) * * full * DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kFull, getLocale(), status) * * argStyleText * new SimpleDateFormat(argStyleText, getLocale(), status) * * spellout * argStyleText (optional) * new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_SPELLOUT, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status); * * ordinal * argStyleText (optional) * new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_ORDINAL, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status); * * duration * argStyleText (optional) * new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_DURATION, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status); *
time
DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kDefault, getLocale(), status)
DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kShort, getLocale(), status)
DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kLong, getLocale(), status)
DateFormat.createTimeInstance(kFull, getLocale(), status)
new SimpleDateFormat(argStyleText, getLocale(), status) * * spellout * argStyleText (optional) * new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_SPELLOUT, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status); * * ordinal * argStyleText (optional) * new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_ORDINAL, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status); * * duration * argStyleText (optional) * new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_DURATION, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status); *
spellout
new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_SPELLOUT, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status);
ordinal
new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_ORDINAL, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status);
duration
new RuleBasedNumberFormat(URBNF_DURATION, getLocale(), status) * .setDefaultRuleset(argStyleText, status);
* *
Here are some examples of usage: * Example 1: * *
* \code * UErrorCode success = U_ZERO_ERROR; * GregorianCalendar cal(success); * Formattable arguments[] = { * 7L, * Formattable( (Date) cal.getTime(success), Formattable::kIsDate), * "a disturbance in the Force" * }; * * UnicodeString result; * MessageFormat::format( * "At {1,time} on {1,date}, there was {2} on planet {0,number}.", * arguments, 3, result, success ); * * cout << "result: " << result << endl; * //: At 4:34:20 PM on 23-Mar-98, there was a disturbance * // in the Force on planet 7. * \endcode *
Example 2: * *
* \code * success = U_ZERO_ERROR; * Formattable testArgs[] = {3L, "MyDisk"}; * * MessageFormat form( * "The disk \"{1}\" contains {0} file(s).", success ); * * UnicodeString string; * FieldPosition fpos = 0; * cout << "format: " << form.format(testArgs, 2, string, fpos, success ) << endl; * * // output, with different testArgs: * // output: The disk "MyDisk" contains 0 file(s). * // output: The disk "MyDisk" contains 1 file(s). * // output: The disk "MyDisk" contains 1,273 file(s). * \endcode *
For messages that include plural forms, you can use a plural argument: *
* \code * success = U_ZERO_ERROR; * MessageFormat msgFmt( * "{num_files, plural, " * "=0{There are no files on disk \"{disk_name}\".}" * "=1{There is one file on disk \"{disk_name}\".}" * "other{There are # files on disk \"{disk_name}\".}}", * Locale("en"), * success); * FieldPosition fpos = 0; * Formattable testArgs[] = {0L, "MyDisk"}; * UnicodeString testArgsNames[] = {"num_files", "disk_name"}; * UnicodeString result; * cout << msgFmt.format(testArgs, testArgsNames, 2, result, fpos, 0, success); * testArgs[0] = 3L; * cout << msgFmt.format(testArgs, testArgsNames, 2, result, fpos, 0, success); * \endcode * output: * There are no files on disk "MyDisk". * There are 3 files on "MyDisk". *
MessageFormats are not synchronized. * It is recommended to create separate format instances for each thread. * If multiple threads access a format concurrently, it must be synchronized * externally. * * @stable ICU 2.0 */ class U_I18N_API MessageFormat : public Format { public: #ifndef U_HIDE_OBSOLETE_API /** * Enum type for kMaxFormat. * @obsolete ICU 3.0. The 10-argument limit was removed as of ICU 2.6, * rendering this enum type obsolete. */ enum EFormatNumber { /** * The maximum number of arguments. * @obsolete ICU 3.0. The 10-argument limit was removed as of ICU 2.6, * rendering this constant obsolete. */ kMaxFormat = 10 }; #endif /* U_HIDE_OBSOLETE_API */ /** * Constructs a new MessageFormat using the given pattern and the * default locale. * * @param pattern Pattern used to construct object. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ MessageFormat(const UnicodeString& pattern, UErrorCode &status); /** * Constructs a new MessageFormat using the given pattern and locale. * @param pattern Pattern used to construct object. * @param newLocale The locale to use for formatting dates and numbers. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ MessageFormat(const UnicodeString& pattern, const Locale& newLocale, UErrorCode& status); /** * Constructs a new MessageFormat using the given pattern and locale. * @param pattern Pattern used to construct object. * @param newLocale The locale to use for formatting dates and numbers. * @param parseError Struct to receive information on the position * of an error within the pattern. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ MessageFormat(const UnicodeString& pattern, const Locale& newLocale, UParseError& parseError, UErrorCode& status); /** * Constructs a new MessageFormat from an existing one. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ MessageFormat(const MessageFormat&); /** * Assignment operator. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ const MessageFormat& operator=(const MessageFormat&); /** * Destructor. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual ~MessageFormat(); /** * Clones this Format object polymorphically. The caller owns the * result and should delete it when done. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual Format* clone(void) const; /** * Returns true if the given Format objects are semantically equal. * Objects of different subclasses are considered unequal. * @param other the object to be compared with. * @return true if the given Format objects are semantically equal. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual UBool operator==(const Format& other) const; /** * Sets the locale to be used for creating argument Format objects. * @param theLocale the new locale value to be set. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual void setLocale(const Locale& theLocale); /** * Gets the locale used for creating argument Format objects. * format information. * @return the locale of the object. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual const Locale& getLocale(void) const; /** * Applies the given pattern string to this message format. * * @param pattern The pattern to be applied. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual void applyPattern(const UnicodeString& pattern, UErrorCode& status); /** * Applies the given pattern string to this message format. * * @param pattern The pattern to be applied. * @param parseError Struct to receive information on the position * of an error within the pattern. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual void applyPattern(const UnicodeString& pattern, UParseError& parseError, UErrorCode& status); /** * Sets the UMessagePatternApostropheMode and the pattern used by this message format. * Parses the pattern and caches Format objects for simple argument types. * Patterns and their interpretation are specified in the * class description. *
* This method is best used only once on a given object to avoid confusion about the mode, * and after constructing the object with an empty pattern string to minimize overhead. * * @param pattern The pattern to be applied. * @param aposMode The new apostrophe mode. * @param parseError Struct to receive information on the position * of an error within the pattern. * Can be NULL. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @stable ICU 4.8 */ virtual void applyPattern(const UnicodeString& pattern, UMessagePatternApostropheMode aposMode, UParseError* parseError, UErrorCode& status); /** * @return this instance's UMessagePatternApostropheMode. * @stable ICU 4.8 */ UMessagePatternApostropheMode getApostropheMode() const { return msgPattern.getApostropheMode(); } /** * Returns a pattern that can be used to recreate this object. * * @param appendTo Output parameter to receive the pattern. * Result is appended to existing contents. * @return Reference to 'appendTo' parameter. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual UnicodeString& toPattern(UnicodeString& appendTo) const; /** * Sets subformats. * See the class description about format numbering. * The caller should not delete the Format objects after this call. * The array formatsToAdopt is not itself adopted. Its * ownership is retained by the caller. If the call fails because * memory cannot be allocated, then the formats will be deleted * by this method, and this object will remain unchanged. * *
If this format uses named arguments, the new formats are discarded * and this format remains unchanged. * * @stable ICU 2.0 * @param formatsToAdopt the format to be adopted. * @param count the size of the array. */ virtual void adoptFormats(Format** formatsToAdopt, int32_t count); /** * Sets subformats. * See the class description about format numbering. * Each item in the array is cloned into the internal array. * If the call fails because memory cannot be allocated, then this * object will remain unchanged. * *
If this format uses named arguments, the new formats are discarded * and this format remains unchanged. * * @stable ICU 2.0 * @param newFormats the new format to be set. * @param cnt the size of the array. */ virtual void setFormats(const Format** newFormats, int32_t cnt); /** * Sets one subformat. * See the class description about format numbering. * The caller should not delete the Format object after this call. * If the number is over the number of formats already set, * the item will be deleted and ignored. * *
If this format uses named arguments, the new format is discarded * and this format remains unchanged. * * @stable ICU 2.0 * @param formatNumber index of the subformat. * @param formatToAdopt the format to be adopted. */ virtual void adoptFormat(int32_t formatNumber, Format* formatToAdopt); /** * Sets one subformat. * See the class description about format numbering. * If the number is over the number of formats already set, * the item will be ignored. * @param formatNumber index of the subformat. * @param format the format to be set. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual void setFormat(int32_t formatNumber, const Format& format); /** * Gets format names. This function returns formatNames in StringEnumerations * which can be used with getFormat() and setFormat() to export formattable * array from current MessageFormat to another. It is the caller's responsibility * to delete the returned formatNames. * @param status output param set to success/failure code. * @stable ICU 4.0 */ virtual StringEnumeration* getFormatNames(UErrorCode& status); /** * Gets subformat pointer for given format name. * This function supports both named and numbered * arguments. If numbered, the formatName is the * corresponding UnicodeStrings (e.g. "0", "1", "2"...). * The returned Format object should not be deleted by the caller, * nor should the ponter of other object . The pointer and its * contents remain valid only until the next call to any method * of this class is made with this object. * @param formatName the name or number specifying a format * @param status output param set to success/failure code. * @stable ICU 4.0 */ virtual Format* getFormat(const UnicodeString& formatName, UErrorCode& status); /** * Sets one subformat for given format name. * See the class description about format name. * This function supports both named and numbered * arguments-- if numbered, the formatName is the * corresponding UnicodeStrings (e.g. "0", "1", "2"...). * If there is no matched formatName or wrong type, * the item will be ignored. * @param formatName Name of the subformat. * @param format the format to be set. * @param status output param set to success/failure code. * @stable ICU 4.0 */ virtual void setFormat(const UnicodeString& formatName, const Format& format, UErrorCode& status); /** * Sets one subformat for given format name. * See the class description about format name. * This function supports both named and numbered * arguments-- if numbered, the formatName is the * corresponding UnicodeStrings (e.g. "0", "1", "2"...). * If there is no matched formatName or wrong type, * the item will be ignored. * The caller should not delete the Format object after this call. * @param formatName Name of the subformat. * @param formatToAdopt Format to be adopted. * @param status output param set to success/failure code. * @stable ICU 4.0 */ virtual void adoptFormat(const UnicodeString& formatName, Format* formatToAdopt, UErrorCode& status); /** * Gets an array of subformats of this object. The returned array * should not be deleted by the caller, nor should the pointers * within the array. The array and its contents remain valid only * until the next call to this format. See the class description * about format numbering. * * @param count output parameter to receive the size of the array * @return an array of count Format* objects, or NULL if out of * memory. Any or all of the array elements may be NULL. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual const Format** getFormats(int32_t& count) const; using Format::format; /** * Formats the given array of arguments into a user-readable string. * Does not take ownership of the Formattable* array or its contents. * *
If this format uses named arguments, appendTo is unchanged and * status is set to U_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT_ERROR. * * @param source An array of objects to be formatted. * @param count The number of elements of 'source'. * @param appendTo Output parameter to receive result. * Result is appended to existing contents. * @param ignore Not used; inherited from base class API. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @return Reference to 'appendTo' parameter. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ UnicodeString& format(const Formattable* source, int32_t count, UnicodeString& appendTo, FieldPosition& ignore, UErrorCode& status) const; /** * Formats the given array of arguments into a user-readable string * using the given pattern. * *
If this format uses named arguments, appendTo is unchanged and * status is set to U_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT_ERROR. * * @param pattern The pattern. * @param arguments An array of objects to be formatted. * @param count The number of elements of 'source'. * @param appendTo Output parameter to receive result. * Result is appended to existing contents. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @return Reference to 'appendTo' parameter. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ static UnicodeString& format(const UnicodeString& pattern, const Formattable* arguments, int32_t count, UnicodeString& appendTo, UErrorCode& status); /** * Formats the given array of arguments into a user-readable * string. The array must be stored within a single Formattable * object of type kArray. If the Formattable object type is not of * type kArray, then returns a failing UErrorCode. * *
If this format uses named arguments, appendTo is unchanged and * status is set to U_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT_ERROR. * * @param obj A Formattable of type kArray containing * arguments to be formatted. * @param appendTo Output parameter to receive result. * Result is appended to existing contents. * @param pos On input: an alignment field, if desired. * On output: the offsets of the alignment field. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @return Reference to 'appendTo' parameter. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual UnicodeString& format(const Formattable& obj, UnicodeString& appendTo, FieldPosition& pos, UErrorCode& status) const; /** * Formats the given array of arguments into a user-defined argument name * array. This function supports both named and numbered * arguments-- if numbered, the formatName is the * corresponding UnicodeStrings (e.g. "0", "1", "2"...). * * @param argumentNames argument name array * @param arguments An array of objects to be formatted. * @param count The number of elements of 'argumentNames' and * arguments. The number of argumentNames and arguments * must be the same. * @param appendTo Output parameter to receive result. * Result is appended to existing contents. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @return Reference to 'appendTo' parameter. * @stable ICU 4.0 */ UnicodeString& format(const UnicodeString* argumentNames, const Formattable* arguments, int32_t count, UnicodeString& appendTo, UErrorCode& status) const; /** * Parses the given string into an array of output arguments. * * @param source String to be parsed. * @param pos On input, starting position for parse. On output, * final position after parse. Unchanged if parse * fails. * @param count Output parameter to receive the number of arguments * parsed. * @return an array of parsed arguments. The caller owns both * the array and its contents. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual Formattable* parse(const UnicodeString& source, ParsePosition& pos, int32_t& count) const; /** * Parses the given string into an array of output arguments. * *
If this format uses named arguments, status is set to * U_ARGUMENT_TYPE_MISMATCH. * * @param source String to be parsed. * @param count Output param to receive size of returned array. * @param status Input/output error code. If the * pattern cannot be parsed, set to failure code. * @return an array of parsed arguments. The caller owns both * the array and its contents. Returns NULL if status is not U_ZERO_ERROR. * * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual Formattable* parse(const UnicodeString& source, int32_t& count, UErrorCode& status) const; /** * Parses the given string into an array of output arguments * stored within a single Formattable of type kArray. * * @param source The string to be parsed into an object. * @param result Formattable to be set to the parse result. * If parse fails, return contents are undefined. * @param pos On input, starting position for parse. On output, * final position after parse. Unchanged if parse * fails. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual void parseObject(const UnicodeString& source, Formattable& result, ParsePosition& pos) const; /** * Convert an 'apostrophe-friendly' pattern into a standard * pattern. Standard patterns treat all apostrophes as * quotes, which is problematic in some languages, e.g. * French, where apostrophe is commonly used. This utility * assumes that only an unpaired apostrophe immediately before * a brace is a true quote. Other unpaired apostrophes are paired, * and the resulting standard pattern string is returned. * *
Note it is not guaranteed that the returned pattern * is indeed a valid pattern. The only effect is to convert * between patterns having different quoting semantics. * * @param pattern the 'apostrophe-friendly' patttern to convert * @param status Input/output error code. If the pattern * cannot be parsed, the failure code is set. * @return the standard equivalent of the original pattern * @stable ICU 3.4 */ static UnicodeString autoQuoteApostrophe(const UnicodeString& pattern, UErrorCode& status); /** * Returns true if this MessageFormat uses named arguments, * and false otherwise. See class description. * * @return true if named arguments are used. * @stable ICU 4.0 */ UBool usesNamedArguments() const; #ifndef U_HIDE_INTERNAL_API /** * This API is for ICU internal use only. * Please do not use it. * * Returns argument types count in the parsed pattern. * Used to distinguish pattern "{0} d" and "d". * * @return The number of formattable types in the pattern * @internal */ int32_t getArgTypeCount() const; #endif /* U_HIDE_INTERNAL_API */ /** * Returns a unique class ID POLYMORPHICALLY. Pure virtual override. * This method is to implement a simple version of RTTI, since not all * C++ compilers support genuine RTTI. Polymorphic operator==() and * clone() methods call this method. * * @return The class ID for this object. All objects of a * given class have the same class ID. Objects of * other classes have different class IDs. * @stable ICU 2.0 */ virtual UClassID getDynamicClassID(void) const; /** * Return the class ID for this class. This is useful only for * comparing to a return value from getDynamicClassID(). For example: *
* . Base* polymorphic_pointer = createPolymorphicObject(); * . if (polymorphic_pointer->getDynamicClassID() == * . Derived::getStaticClassID()) ... *