The list of default formats for different data types introduced you to some of the format characters supported by ABL. The following table provides a quick summary of the format symbols you are most likely to use.

Table 1. Common format symbols
This format character . . . Represents . . .
X Any single character.
N A digit or a letter. A blank is not allowed.
A A letter. A blank is not allowed.
! A letter that is converted to uppercase during input. A blank is not allowed.
9 A digit. A blank is not allowed.
(n) A number that indicates how many times to repeat the previous format character.
> A leading digit in a numeric value, to be suppressed if the number does not have that many digits.
< Used in conjunction with > to implement floating-decimal format. The < character (up to 10) must appear to the right of the decimal and be balanced by an equal or greater number of > characters left of the decimal. A digit is displayed in a position formatted with < when the corresponding > is a leading zero (and the stored value has the required precision).
Z A leading digit in a numeric value, to be replaced by a blank if the number does not have that many digits.
* A leading digit in a numeric value, to be displayed as an asterisk if the number does not have that many digits.
, A comma in a numeric value greater than 1,000. This is replaced by a period in European format. It is suppressed if it is preceded by a Z, *, or >, and the number does not have enough digits to require the comma.
. A decimal point in a numeric value. This is replaced by a comma in European format.
+ A sign for a positive or negative number and is displayed accordingly. It can also be used to display a digit similar to the >, Z, and * format characters but not when inputting data.
– For a negative number it is displayed as –. For a positive number it is suppressed if it is to the left of the decimal point in the format, and replaced by a blank if it is to the right. It can also be used to display a digit similar to the >, Z, and * format characters but not when inputting data.
E or e A number in scientific notation format.
CR or cr Display negative values with the string "CR" after it.
DB or db Display negative values with the string "DB" after it.
DR or dr Display negative values with the string "DR" after it.
() Display negative values in parentheses.

You can insert other characters as you wish into formats, and they are displayed as literal values. For example, the INTEGER value 1234 with the FORMAT

gt;,>>>ABC is displayed as $1,234ABC.

Format Character Examples

Note: In the Output column, the leading and trailing | characters mark the boundaries of the formatted result so that leading and trailing blanks are visible. The pipes are not part of the output.
Format char Example FORMAT Sample value Output Notes
X XXXXXXXX "Order#42" |Order#42| Accepts any character.
(n) X(5) "Hello" |Hello| Repeats the preceding format character n times.
A A(5) "Smith" |Smith| Accepts letters only.
N N(6) "ABC123" |ABC123| Accepts letters and digits only.
! !(5) "abl12" |ABL12| Converts letters to uppercase.
9 999 42 |042| Reserves a slot for one digit; pads with leading zeros.
> >>9 5 |  5| Reserves a slot for one digit; shows a blank instead of a leading zero.
Z ZZ9 5 |  5| Same as >.
* **9 5 |**5| Reserves a slot for one digit; shows * instead of a leading zero.
< >>>.<< 1.5 |  1.5 | Reserves a slot for one digit after the decimal; trailing zeros are dropped.
, >,>>9 1234 |1,234| Thousands separator.
. 9.99 3.14 |3.14| Decimal point.
+ +99 42 / -42 |+42| / |-42| Always shows the sign.
- -99 42 / -42 | 42| / |-42| Shows the sign only for negative values.
E 9.99E+99 1234.5 |1.23E+03| Scientific notation. The position of E and the following sign and digit slots control the exponent format.
CR >>>9CR 42 / -42 |  42  | / |  42CR| Appends the literal characters CR to negative values; blanks for positive values.
DB >>>9DB 42 / -42 |  42  | / |  42DB| Appends the literal characters DB to negative values; blanks for positive values.
DR >>>9DR 42 / -42 |  42  | / |  42DR| Appends the literal characters DR to negative values; blanks for positive values. Synonym for DB.
( ) (>>>9) 42 / -42 |   42 | / |  (42)| Wraps negative values in parentheses; positives show blanks in the parenthesis positions.