`fprintf`

Writes formatted text to the command window or to a file.

Category: Data Import and Analysis > Data Import and Export

Syntax

fprintf(formatSpec, A1, ..., An)

Prints to the command window.

fprintf(fid, formatSpec, A1, ..., An)

Writes to the open file fid. Identifier 1 is the command window.

nbytes = fprintf(...)

Returns the number of bytes written.

Description

The format is applied repeatedly until all values are used, so fprintf('%d, ', v) prints a whole vector. If the values run out in the middle of a format, output stops just before the first conversion that has no data. A %d given a non-integer value switches to exponent notation instead of truncating.

fprintf does not add a newline: end the format with \n when you want one.

Input arguments

formatSpec: Format text with conversions such as %d (integer), %f and %.2f (fixed point), %e (exponent), %g (shortest), %s (text), %c (character) and %%. Escapes like \n and \t are interpreted.
A1, ..., An: Values to insert. Arrays are consumed element by element, in column order.

Output arguments

nbytes: Number of bytes written.

Example

Formats and recycling

fprintf('%5.2f|%d|%s\n', pi, 42, 'abc');
fprintf('%d, ', [1 2 3]); fprintf('\n');
fprintf('%d %s\n', 1, 'a', 2, 'b');
fprintf('%x %o %c %%\n', 255, 8, 'A');
fprintf('%-6d|%+d\n', 5, 5);

Output

 3.14|42|abc
1, 2, 3, 
1 a
2 b
ff 10 A %
5     |+5

fprintf