Boost.Locale: Localized Text Formatting

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Localized Text Formatting

The `iostream` manipulators are very useful, but when we create a messages for the user, sometimes we need something like good old `printf` or `boost::format`.

Unfortunately `boost::format` has several limitations in context of localization:

1. It renders all parameters using global locale rather than target `ostream` locale. For example:
   std::locale::global(std::locale("en_US.UTF-8"));
   output.imbue(std::locale("de_DE.UTF-8"))
   output << boost::format("%1%") % 1234.345;
   This would write "1,234.235" to output, instead of the "1.234,234" that is expected for "de_DE" locale
2. It knows nothing about the new Boost.Locale manipulators.
3. The `printf-like` syntax is very limited for formatting complex localized data, not allowing the formatting of dates, times, or currencies

Thus a new class, boost::locale::format, was introduced. For example:

wcout << wformat(L"Today {1,date} I would meet {2} at home") % time(0) % name <<endl;

Each format specifier is enclosed within `{}` brackets, is separated with a comma "," and may have an additional option after an equals symbol '='. This option may be simple ASCII text or single-quoted localized text. If a single-quote should be inserted within the text, it may be represented with a pair of single-quote characters.

Here is an example of a format string:

        "Ms. {1} had arrived at {2,ftime='%I o''clock'} at home. The exact time is {2,time=full}"

The syntax is described by following grammar:

        format : '{' parameters '}'
        parameters: parameter | parameter ',' parameters;
        parameter : key ["=" value] ;
        key : [0-9a-zA-Z<>]+ ;
        value : ascii-string-excluding-"}"-and="," | local-string ;
        local-string : quoted-text | quoted-text local-string;
        quoted-text : '[^']*' ;

You can include literal '{' and '}' by inserting double "{{" or "}}" to the text.

cout << format(translate("Unexpected `{{' in line {1} in file {2}")) % pos % file;

Would display something like

    Unexpected `{' in line 5 in file source.cpp

The following format key-value pairs are supported:

- `[0-9]+` – digits, the index of the formatted parameter – required.
- `num` or `number` – format a number. Options are:
  - `hex` – display in hexadecimal format
  - `oct` – display in octal format
  - `sci` or `scientific` – display in scientific format
  - `fix` or `fixed` – display in fixed format
    For example, `number=sci`
- `cur` or `currency` – format currency. Options are:
  - `iso` – display using ISO currency symbol.
  - `nat` or `national` – display using national currency symbol.
- `per` or `percent` – format a percentage value.
- `date`, `time`, `datetime` or `dt` – format a date, a time, or a date and time. Options are:
  - `s` or `short` – display in short format.
  - `m` or `medium` – display in medium format.
  - `l` or `long` – display in long format.
  - `f` or `full` – display in full format.
- `ftime` with string (quoted) parameter – display as with `strftime`. See `as::ftime` manipulator.
- `spell` or `spellout` – spell the number.
- `ord` or `ordinal` – format an ordinal number (1st, 2nd... etc)
- `left` or `<` – align-left.
- `right` or `>` – align-right.
- `width` or `w` – set field width (requires parameter).
- `precision` or `p` – set precision (requires parameter).
- `locale` – with parameter – switch locales for the current operation. This command generates a locale with formatting facets, giving more fine grained control of formatting. For example:
  cout << format("This article was published at {1,date=l} (Gregorian) {1,locale=he_IL@calendar=hebrew,date=l} (Hebrew)") % date;
- `timezone` or `tz` – the name of the timezone to display the time in. For example:
  cout << format("Time is: Local {1,time}, ({1,time,tz=EET} Eastern European Time)") % date;
- `local` - display the time in local time
- `gmt` - display the time in UTC time scale
  cout << format("Local time is: {1,time,local}, universal time is {1,time,gmt}") % time;

The constructor for the format class can take an object of type message, simplifying integration with message translation code.

For example:

cout<< format(translate("Adding {1} to {2}, we get {3}")) % a % b % (a+b) << endl;

A formatted string can be fetched directly by using the str(std::locale const &loc=std::locale()) member function. For example:

std::wstring de = (wformat(translate("Adding {1} to {2}, we get {3}")) % a % b % (a+b)).str(de_locale);
std::wstring fr = (wformat(translate("Adding {1} to {2}, we get {3}")) % a % b % (a+b)).str(fr_locale);

Note
  There is one significant difference between `boost::format` and `boost::locale::format`: Boost.Locale's format converts its parameters only when written to an `ostream` or when the `str()` member function is called. It only saves references to the objects that can be written to a stream.

This is generally not a problem when all operations are done in one statement, such as:

cout << format("Adding {1} to {2}, we get {3}") % a % b % (a+b);

Because the temporary value of ``(a+b) exists until the formatted data is actually written to the stream. But following code is wrong:

format fmt("Adding {1} to {2}, we get {3}");
fmt % a;
fmt % b;
fmt % (a+b);
cout << fmt;

Because the temporary value of ``(a+b) no longer exists when `fmt` is written to the stream. A correct solution would be:

format fmt("Adding {1} to {2}, we get {3}");
fmt % a;
fmt % b;
int a_plus_b = a+b;
fmt % a_plus_b;
cout << fmt;
- © Copyright 2009-2012 Artyom Beilis, Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.