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Question

string.Format() Blank Zero

Answer 1

+5 A:

String.Format() supports the ; section separator.

Try e.g. String.Format("{0:#%;;' '}", 0);.

Frédéric Hamidi 2010-10-22 09:21:21

Unfortunately you can't mix standard and custom format strings like this.

LukeH 2010-10-22 09:26:09

@Frédéric Hamidi Thank you for your answer. But this will return N when the value is 1, and -N when the value is -1 :(

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-22 09:28:24

@LukeH Does that mean that it is not possible to perform this?

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-22 09:28:46

@Peter: Can I clarify the requirements? If the number is non-zero then you want to apply the `P` standard format, but if the number is zero you want a blank?

LukeH 2010-10-22 09:32:24

@LukeH Yes indeed

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-22 09:33:53

@LukeH, you're right, the whole expression must be either standard or custom. I updated my answer accordingly.

Frédéric Hamidi 2010-10-22 09:34:41

@Peter, what do you want to print if the value is -1?

Frédéric Hamidi 2010-10-22 09:35:16

@Frédéric Hamidi the normal outcome, so in this case -100%

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-22 09:37:25

@Peter, then my edited answer should be what you want :)

Frédéric Hamidi 2010-10-22 09:39:58

@Frédéric Hamidi @LukeH Thanks for the updated answer. But the user of the application can choose several formats. One of them is currency, which ends up in the format {0:C}. This format will show a culture-specific result ($ in US, € in EU). However, a custom format cannot be culture specific. That's why I prefer standard expressions...

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-22 09:40:08

Answer 2

+1 A:

why don't you do it with if else statement?

string result = String.Format(the value); if(result=="0") { result=" "; }

william 2010-10-22 09:32:35

Because I do edit an existing application where a format can be filled in somewhere. Adding a new format is as easy as editing an xml configuration file. Adding an if else statement will do indeed, but ends up in editing the code on every place the format is used...

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-22 09:35:56

At the end, I have to use this solution. Thanks everyone for your answers!

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-25 12:41:07

Answer 3

A:

write an extension method:

public static string IntToString(this int input)
{
   return (input == 0)?"":String.Format(input);
}

SaeedAlg 2010-10-22 09:44:20

Thank you but I prefer to perform this using a format (see comment at william's answer above)

Peter van Kekem 2010-10-22 09:47:15

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string.Format() Blank Zero

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