Format

Usage

• Format[expr] prints as the formatted form of expr.
• Assigning values to Format[expr] defines print forms for expressions.
• Format[expr, form] gives a format for the specified form of output.

Notes

• Standard forms for formatted output are:

CForm	C language input form
FortranForm	Fortran input form
InputForm	one-dimensional form suitable for direct keyboard input
MathMLForm	MathML form
OutputForm	character-based two-dimensional form
StandardForm	standard two-dimensional form
TeXForm	TeX input form
TraditionalForm	form approximating traditional mathematical notation

• You can add your own forms for formatted output.

• Example: Format[s] := rhs defines a symbol s to print like rhs.

• Format[f[ ... ]] := rhs defines a function f to print like rhs.

• Definitions for Format are stored in the FormatValues of a symbol.

• If you specify a new output format for an expression by giving a definition for Format, there is no guarantee that Mathematica will be able to interpret this output format if it is used as input.

• Definitions given for Format are used before those given for MakeBoxes.

• See Section 2.9.16.

• See also: ToString, ToBoxes, MakeBoxes, MakeExpression.

• New in Version 1; modified in 4.1.

Further Examples