Picture clauses

The picture clause function $pce.format can be applied to content in a template. A picture clause is a sequence of characters that specify rules for how to parse and format textual data such as dates, times and numbers. When processing the template, the picture clause determines how to transform raw data values into formatted values.

Syntax

$pce.format(<clause>, <input>[, <locale>])

clause	The picture clause to use. See the StoryTeller documentation for information about supported picture clauses.
input	The content to apply the picture clause to.
locale	The locale, e.g. en_US. If this argument is not specified, the default locale specified for the Template Engine Process will be used.

The arguments can be specified as strings or as variables.

Locale

A locale must be defined when using the $pce.format function. The locale determines for example how to format date and currency for different languages. You can specify a default locale when you configure the Template Engine Process in Design Center. To use the default locale in the $pce.format function you only have to specify which picture clause to use and the content to apply the picture clause to. If you want to override the default locale, or if it is not specified, you must add a locale as argument to the $pce.format function.

You can use the function $pce.defaultLocale to get the default locale (if specified). For example, if you add this function to your template, the default locale will be displayed in the output.

Template examples

Example 83

Number formatting, four decimals in original number

Template

#set($input = '12345.6789')
Input number: $input
Clause  .9: $pce.format('.9', $input)
Clause  .99: $pce.format('.99', $input)
Clause  9.9: $pce.format('9.9', $input)
Clause  9.z: $pce.format('9.z', $input)
Clause  z.9: $pce.format('z.9', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.9: $pce.format('zz,zz9.9', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.99: $pce.format('zz,zz9.99', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.9z: $pce.format('zz,zz9.9z', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.99z: $pce.format('zz,zz9.99z', $input)

Output

Input number: 12345.6789
Clause  .9: 12345.7
Clause  .99: 12345.68
Clause  9.9: 12345.7
Clause  9.z: 12345.7
Clause  z.9: 12345.7
Clause  zz,zz9.9: 12,345.7
Clause  zz,zz9.99: 12,345.68
Clause  zz,zz9.9z: 12,345.68
Clause  zz,zz9.99z: 12,345.679

 

Example 84

Number formatting, no decimals in original number

Template

#set($input = '12345')
Input number: $input
Clause  .9: $pce.format('.9', $input)
Clause  .99: $pce.format('.99', $input)
Clause  9.9: $pce.format('9.9', $input)
Clause  9.z: $pce.format('9.z', $input)
Clause  z.9: $pce.format('z.9', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.9: $pce.format('zz,zz9.9', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.99: $pce.format('zz,zz9.99', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.9z: $pce.format('zz,zz9.9z', $input)
Clause  zz,zz9.99z: $pce.format('zz,zz9.99z', $input)

Output

Input number: 12345
Clause  .9: 12345.0
Clause  .99: 12345.00
Clause  9.9: 12345.0
Clause  9.z: 12345
Clause  z.9: 12345.0
Clause  zz,zz9.9: 12,345.0
Clause  zz,zz9.99: 12,345.00
Clause  zz,zz9.9z: 12,345.0
Clause  zz,zz9.99z: 12,345.00

 

Example 85

Date and currency picture clauses

Template

#set($clDate='date.full{}') #set($inDate='20131224')

#set($clCurr='num.currency{}') #set($inCurr='3489')

Default locale: $pce.defaultLocale

DateDefaultLocale: $pce.format($clDate, $inDate)

CurrDefaultLocale: $pce.format($clCurr, $inCurr)

DateUSlocale: $pce.format($clDate, $inDate, 'en_US')

CurrUSlocale: $pce.format($clCurr, $inCurr, 'en_US')

Output

Default locale: sv_SE

DateDefaultLocale: Tisdagen den 24:e december 2013

CurrDefaultLocale: 3 489,00 kr

DateUSlocale: Tuesday, December 24, 2013

CurrUSlocale: $3,489.00