Console format(String, Object) method in Java with Examples

Last Updated : 12 Jun, 2020

The format(String, Object) method of Console class in Java is used to write a formatted string to the output stream of the console. It uses the specified format string and arguments. Syntax:

 public Console format(String fmt, Object... args)

Parameters: This method accepts two parameters:

fmt - It represents the format of the string.
args - It represents the arguments that are referenced by the format specifiers in the string format.

Return value: This method returns the console. Exceptions: This method throws IllegalFormatException if string format contains an illegal syntax or a format specifier is not compatible with the given arguments or insufficient arguments given the format string or other conditions that are illegal. Note: System.console() returns null in an online IDE. Below programs illustrate format(String, Object) method in Console class in IO package: Program 1:

Java

// Java program to illustrate // Console format(String, Object) method import java.io.*; public class GFG {  public static void main(String[] args)  {  // Create the console object  Console cnsl  = System.console();  if (cnsl == null) {  System.out.println(  "No console available");  return;  }  String fmt = "%1$4s %2$10s %3$10s%n";  cnsl.format(fmt, "Books", "Author", "Price");  cnsl.format(fmt, "-----", "------", "-----");  cnsl.format(fmt, "DBMS", "Navathe", "800");  cnsl.format(fmt, "Algorithm", "Cormen", "925");  cnsl.format(fmt, "Operating System", "Rajib Mall", "750");  } }

Output:

Program 2:

Java

// Java program to illustrate // Console format(String, Object) method import java.io.*; public class GFG {  public static void main(String[] args)  {  // Create the console object  Console cnsl  = System.console();  if (cnsl == null) {  System.out.println(  "No console available");  return;  }  String fmt = "%1$4s %2$10s %3$10s%n";  cnsl.format(fmt, "Items", "Quantity", "Price");  cnsl.format(fmt, "-----", "------", "-----");  cnsl.format(fmt, "Tomato", "1 Kg", "80");  cnsl.format(fmt, "Apple", "3 Kg", "500");  cnsl.format(fmt, "Potato", "2 Kg", "75");  } }