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 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 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"); 
    } 
} 